Surface degradation of magnetic properties in manganite thin films proved with magneto-optical techniques in reflection geometry

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 90; no. 25; pp. 252509 - 252509-3
• Main Authors: Valencia, S., Gaupp, A., Gudat, W., Abad, Ll, Balcells, Ll, Martínez, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Institute of Physics 18-06-2007
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2750529

Magneto-optical techniques in reflection geometry turn out to be a very efficient tool to study the surface magnetism due to their sensitivity to magnetic and chemical variations across the sample depth. The existence of a surface layer of about one to five unit cells with strongly depressed magnetic properties, when compared with the rest of the film, in
La
2
∕
3
Ca
1
∕
3
Mn
O
3
thin films is shown. These results strongly support previous theoretical predictions as well as recent findings showing the insulating nature of the topmost layers in these materials.