Structural Features, Electronic and Spin Transport in Epitaxial Thin Films of Iridates

A technique for obtaining high-quality epitaxial films of iridate (SrIrO3) by high-frequency cathode sputtering on strontium titanate (SrTiO3) and neodymium gallate (NdGaO3) substrates has been developed. The structural features and the influence of mechanical stress relaxation in thin films caused by the difference in the lattice sizes of the film and the substrate have been studied using X-ray diffraction. From the analysis of diffraction data, it was found that lattice parameter deformation is observed in the film. This indicates the emergence of stresses due to the mismatch of the lattice parameters of the film and the substrate, which leads to non-uniform stress relaxation in the film. The electronic transport parameters of thin films and the excitation of spin current in SrIrO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 heterostructures have been investigated.