Ni 3d – O 2p hybridization dependent magnetic properties of LaNiO3 thin films

Publication date: Available online 5 November 2016
Source:Thin Solid Films
Author(s): Yogesh Kumar, Abhinav Pratap Singh, S.K. Sharma, R.J. Choudhary, P. Thakur, M. Knobel, N.B. Brookes, Ravi Kumar
We present here the study on magnetic properties and their relation to the electronic structure for c-axis oriented LaNiO3 films deposited on LaAlO3 single crystals using the rf-magnetron sputtering. Swift heavy ion irradiation induced annealing alters the unusual temperature dependent magnetic behaviour of pristine film to the paramagnetic one. X-ray absorption spectroscopic measurements, performed at O K-edge and Ni L-edge, reveal that NiO hybridization is increased after the initial irradiation. Charge-transfer multiplet calculations of the Ni L-edge indicate that variation of magnetic behaviour can be related to the NiO hybridization strength inducing a further variation in Ni spin state.