Lattice structure and magnetization of LaCoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films

We investigate the structure and magnetic properties of thin films of the LaCoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> compound. Thin films are deposited by pulsed laser deposition on various substrates in order to tune the strain from compressive to tensile. Single-phase (001) oriented LaCoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> layers were grown on all substrates despite large misfits. The tetragonal distortion of the films covers a wide range from -2% to 2.8%. Our LaCoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> films are ferromagnetic with Curie temperature around 85 K, contrary to the bulk. The total magnetic moment is below 1μ <Subscript> B </Subscript>/Co<Superscript>3+</Superscript>, a value relatively small for an exited spin-state of the Co<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ions, but comparable to values reported in literature. A correlation of strain states and magnetic moment of Co<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ions in LaCoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films is observed. Copyright EDP Sciences, SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010