Strain-induced magnetic stripe domains in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films

We have investigated magnetic microstructures of magnetoresistive La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) thin films. Magnetic images are strongly dependent on structural strain induced by the substrates. The LSMO film on SrTiO3 dominated by tensile stress effect displays a feather-like pattern, whereas LSMO films on LaAlO3 and NdGaO3 substrates under compressive stress show stripe domains. In particular, the magnetic image of the film on NdGaO3 reveals distinctive straight stripe domain patterns on the order of about 120 nm, suggesting the presence of a sizable out-of-plane magnetization. The ordering of the stripe domains is also sensitive to the field direction. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.