Magneto-optical evidence for single-crystal-like magnetic switching of epitaxial antiferromagnetic LaFeO3 films

Summary

arXiv:2606.03286v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Strained epitaxial films of the antiferromagnetic orthoferrite LaFeO3 offer a promising platform for antiferromagnetic spintronics, yet their magnetic switching behavior and domain structure have remained largely unexplored due to the small magnitude of the weak ferromagnetic moment. Here, we demonstrate that longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements provide a sensitive and direct probe of magnetic switching and domain processes in coherently strained LaFeO3 thin films grown on orthorhombic substrates. By employing DyScO3(110), GdScO3(110), and NdGaO3(110) substrates, we achieve straincontrolled, largely twin-free growth and identify the orientation of the orthorhombic c-axis through the presence or absence of a longitudinal MOKE signal.