Optical and magnetic properties of europium sulphide thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 488; no. 1; pp. 200 - 203
• Main Authors: O'Mahony, D., Smith, C., Budtz-Jorgensen, C., Venkatesan, M., Lunney, J.G., McGilp, J.F., Coey, J.M.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 22-09-2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Europium sulphide; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic semiconductor; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Physics; Pulse laser deposition; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); X-ray diffraction; Europium sulphide; X-ray diffraction; Magnetic semiconductor; Pulse laser deposition; Curie point; Films; Magnetic moments; Pulsed laser deposition; Texture; Substrates; Ellipsometry; Thin films; Absorption; Rare earths; Sapphire; Optical properties; Ferromagnetism; Silicon; Europium; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.04.081

Europium sulphide films grown on sapphire and silicon substrates by pulsed laser deposition have been studied using structural, optical and magnetic characterisation techniques. The films are stoichiometric and highly textured with [100] normal to the substrate. Ellipsometry measurements show the expected absorption features due to 4f→5d transitions. The films order ferromagnetically with a Curie temperature,
T
C
=
18.5 K, and a saturation magnetic moment of 6.5 μ
B per Eu atom.