Growth and Physical Properties of Thin-film RuSr_2GdCu_2O_8
Abstract
We describe the growth of epitaxial films of the rutheno-cuprate RuSr_2GdCu_2O8 (Ru-1212) by on-axis pulsed-laser deposition and ex situ annealing. We also present a range of physical data for the films, including measurements of the material's anisotropic magnetic properties. Ru-1212 is a triple perovskite, with one RuO2 and two CuO2 layers per unit cell. It has attracted a great deal of interest recently, following the discovery that is displays superconductivity and ferromagnetism coexisting on a microscopic scale[1]. Although the transport properties appear to be dominated by the CuO2 layers, which display a Hall effect[2] and thermo-electric power[1] characteristic of an under-doped high-Tc cuprate, there is some evidence that the ferromagnetic RuO2 layer may also be itinerant. In the absence of single crystals, study of these crystallographically aligned films will help elucidate the electronic structure of Ru-1212, its anisotropy and the interplay between ferromagnetism and superconductivity. [1] C. Bernhard et al, Phys. Rev. B 59, 14099 (1999). [2] J.E. McCrone, J.R. Cooper and J.L. Tallon, J. Low Temp. Phys.: Proc. MOS '99, in press.
- Publication:
-
APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2000
- Bibcode:
- 2000APS..MARR12009M