Synthesis and magnetic properties of double-perovskite oxide La2MnFeO6 thin films

We have investigated epitaxial structures and physical properties of double-perovskite La2MnFeO6 films grown by pulsed-laser deposition. The films showed magnetic hysteresis at low temperatures regardless of the degree of Mn/Fe order and the saturation magnetization became smaller for the higher Mn/Fe-order films. The x-ray absorption and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements revealed antiferromagnetic coupling between Mn3+ and Fe3+ ions, resulting in ferrimagnetism of double-perovskite La2MnFeO6. A band structure was established based on the synchrotron radiation photoemission and optical spectra. The optical gap ranged 1.1 eV above the valence state dominated by the Mn 3d eg orbitals, which is similar to the charge-transfer insulating state in the end member compound of LaMnO3.