Himanshu

Control of Orbital Ordering in Magnetic Epitaxial Thin Films

The purpose of this PhD proposal is to study the magnetic structure of an epitaxial thin film by neutron diffraction considering the film as a single crystal. The films will be grown by layer by layer ultra vacuum laser ablation technique in Caen (CRISMAT lab). They are characterized by X ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy in Caen, as well as by bulk magnetization measurements. These manganese oxide films are studied in order to show that the epitaxy is able to control the orbital ordering of the films and then to stabilize phases which does not exist in regular single crystals. These new materials open new magneto-electronic applications such as nonvolatile magnetic memory working far above room temperature.