Scientific Highlights

Strain is a leading candidate for controlling magnetoelectric coupling in multiferroics. Here, we use x-ray diffraction to study the coupling between magnetic order and structural distortion in epitaxial films of the orthorhombic (o-) perovskite LuMnO₃. An antiferromagnetic spin canting in the E-type magnetic structure is shown to be related to the ferroelectrically induced structural distortion and to a change in the magnetic propagation vector.

The need for reducing the operating temperature of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) imposed by cost reduction has pushed significant progress in fundamental understanding of the individual components, as well as materials innovation and device engineering. Proton-conducting oxides have emerged as potential alternative electrolyte materials to oxygen-ion conducting oxides for operation at low and intermediate temperatures.

Plasma chemistry and scattering strongly affect the congruent, elemental transfer during pulsed laser deposition of target metal species in an oxygen atmosphere. Studying the plasma properties of La_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃, we demonstrate for as grown La_0.6Sr_0.4MnO_3-δ films that a congruent transfer of metallic species is achieved in two pressure windows: ∼10⁻³ mbar and ∼2 × 10⁻¹ mbar.

The electronic structure of a La₂Ti₂O₇-layered perovskite thin film was determined by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements and FEFF calculations. It was found that the empty Ti and La d-band states dominate the conduction band of the structure, whereas the top edge of the valence band is mainly composed of filled O-p states. Furthermore, there is a pronounced overlap between occupied La-p states and O-s states, which are located deeper in the valence band.