abstract
A previously unreported tetragonal phase has been discovered in a epitaxially strained GdMnO3 thin films deposited on (001)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The tetragonal axis of the films grown up to a 35 nm thickness is perpendicular to the film surface and the basal lattice parameters are imposed by the cubic structure of the substrate. Furthermore, the emergence of a spontaneous electric polarization below similar to 32 K points to the stabilization of an improper ferroelectric phase at low temperatures, which is not observed in bulk GdMnO3. This work shows how strain engineering can be used to tailor the structure and properties of strongly correlated oxides.
subject category
Science & Technology - Other Topics
authors
Machado, P; Figueiras, FG; Vilarinho, R; Fernandes, JRA; Tavares, PB; Soares, MR; Cardoso, S; Silva, JPB; Almeida, A; Moreira, JA
our authors
Fábio Gabriel Nazário Figueiras
Post-Doc FellowshipGroups
acknowledgements
This work was supported by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT/MEC) and when appropriate co-financed by FEDER under PT2020 Partnership Agreement: Grant: SFRH/BPD/80663/2011 and SFRH/BPD/92896/2013. Projects: IFIMUP-IN: Norte-070124-FEDER-000070; NECL: NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-022096, UID/NAN/50024/2019 and CICECO-AIM: POCI/01/0145-FEDER-007679, UID/CTM/50011/2013, PTDC/FIS-NAN/0533/2012,CERN/FIS/NUC/0004/2015, UID/FIS/04650/2013.