Mercy Mathews

Ph.D. thesis

Thesis title:

Structural and magnetic properties of epitaxial La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films and nanostructures


[thesis in pdf format]

Year:

2007

Promotor:

Prof. Dr. Ing. D.H.A. Blank and Prof. Dr. J.C. Lodder

Assistant promoter:

Dr. R. Jansen and Dr. ing. A.J.H.M. Rijnders

Date defense:

22-11-2007



Summary

This thesis describes the structural and magnetic properties of epitaxial La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) thin films and nanostructures on single crystalline substrates. As LSMO is a half-metallic ferromagnet with almost 100% spin polarization and high curie temperature (TC = 360 K), a detailed analysis of different properties of LSMO thin films and nanostructures is essential in realizing magnetic devices based on this material. For the direct measurement of strain state and magnetic anisotropy of this material, it is necessary to grow LSMO thin films on different substrates which have different lattice mismatch with the film. As future spintronic devices ultimately have to be fabricated at nanoscale lateral dimensions, it is also important to study the magnetic properties of nanostructures of LSMO.