Effects of Strain and Buffer Layer on Interfacial Magnetization in Sr$_2$CrReO$_6$ Films Determined by Polarized Neutron Reflectometry

Abstract

We have determined the depth-resolved magnetization structures of a series of highly ordered Sr$_{2}$CrReO$_{6}$ (SCRO) ferrimagnetic epitaxial films via combined studies of x-ray reflectometry, polarized neutron reflectometry and SQUID magnetometry. The SCRO films deposited directly on (LaAlO$_3$)$_{0.3}$(Sr$_2$AlTaO$_6$)$_{0.7}$ or SrTiO$_{3}$ substrates show reduced magnetization of similar width near the interfaces with the substrates, despite having different degrees of strain. When the SCRO film is deposited on a Sr$_{2}$CrNbO$_{6}$ (SCNO) double perovskite buffer layer, the width the interfacial region with reduced magnetization is reduced, agreeing with an improved Cr/Re ordering. However, the relative reduction of the magnetization averaged over the interfacial regions are comparable among the three samples. Interestingly, we found that the magnetization suppression region is wider than the Cr/Re antisite disorder region at the interface between SCRO and SCNO.