B-site ordering and strain-induced phase transition in double-perovskite La2NiMnO6 films

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Wu, Sheng-Qiang, Cheng, Sheng, Lu, Lu, Liu, Ming, Jin, Xiao-Wei, Cheng, Shao-Dong, Mi, Shao-Bo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 06.02.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/301/1005/1007; 639/301/357/537; Cations; Crystal structure; Electrical properties; Electron microscopy; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Phase transitions; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Thin films
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20812-4

The magnetic and electrical properties of complex oxide thin films are closely related to the phase stability and cation ordering, which demands that we understand the process-structure-property relationships microscopically in functional materials research. Here we study multiferroic thin films of double-perovskite La 2 NiMnO 6 epitaxially grown on SrTiO 3 , KTaO 3 , LaAlO 3 and DyScO 3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The effect of epitaxial strains imposed by the substrate on the microstructural properties of La 2 NiMnO 6 has been systematically investigated by means of advanced electron microscopy. It is found that La 2 NiMnO 6 films under tensile strain exhibit a monoclinic structure, while under compressive strain the crystal structure of La 2 NiMnO 6 films is rhombohedral. In addition, by optimizing the film deposition conditions a long-range ordering of B-site cations in La 2 NiMnO 6 films has been obtained in both monoclinic and rhombohedral phases. Our results not only provide a strategy for tailoring phase stability by strain engineering, but also shed light on tuning B-site ordering by controlling film growth temperature in double-perovskite La 2 NiMnO 6 films.