Raman scattering of magnetoelectric gallium ferrite thin films

• Published in: Journal of physics. Condensed matter Vol. 25; no. 4; p. 045401
• Main Authors: Thomasson, Alexandre, Kreisel, Jens, Lefèvre, Christophe, Roulland, François, Versini, Gilles, Barre, Sophie, Viart, Nathalie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 30.01.2013; Institute of Physics; IOP Publishing [1989-....]
• Subjects: Anomalies; Chemical Sciences; Condensed matter; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Ferrite; Insulators; Joining; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of monolayers and thin films; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Magnetomechanical and magnetoelectric effects, magnetostriction; Material chemistry; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Phase transformations; Phonons; Physics; Raman scattering; Thin films; Thin films; Raman spectra; Iron Gallium Oxides Mixed; Magnetic ordering; Magnetoelectric effects; Neel temperature; Anomaly; Spin-phonon interactions
• ISSN: 0953-8984; 1361-648X
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/25/4/045401

Gallium ferrite, Ga2−xFexO3 (GFO), is a promising magnetoelectric material as it exhibits both magnetic and electric orders close to room temperature. Here, we report a temperature-dependent investigation of GFO thin films with x = 1.0 and 1.4 by using Raman scattering. Our investigation suggests the absence of a structural phase transition of both films in the investigated 90-500 K temperature range, which is similar to earlier observations on bulk samples. We note, however, the occurrence of weak anomalies in the temperature-dependent band position of some phonons, which we attribute to spin-phonon coupling as the anomalies occur close to the Néel temperature of the materials.