New materials search for spintronics applications:: Synthesis of BiMn1-xFexO3 films via combinatorial chemistry

The combinatorial chemistry method that employs multiple metal-masks and shutters in the pulsed laser deposition of thin films was used to synthesize a series of BiMn1-xFexO3 (x = 0-0.4) films on single SrTiO3(001) substrates. The films showed a systematic variation of c-axis x-ray diffraction peaks with a discontinuity at x similar to 0.15. They also possessed narrow full-width-at-half-maximum in the rocking curves. From the temperature dependence of magnetization, we were able to conclude that as substitution of Fe for Mn is increased, antiferromagnetic interaction becomes enhanced with consequent suppression of the ferromagnetic ordering and eventually antiferromagnetic states prevail below 45 K for x > 0.15. (C) 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.