The effects of strain on the magnetic anisotropy of doped manganite thin films

We show the importance of the role of strain in doped manganite perovskite materials by revealing the dominance of stress anisotropy effects over magnetocrystalline anisotropy effects in the magnetic anisotropy of these films. In order to measure magnetic anisotropy in the plane of the films, remnant magnetization was measured as a function of in-plane angle. The (110) La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films reveal a two fold symmetry while the (100) films have fourfold symmetry. Temperature dependence of the magnetic anisotropy of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films reveals decreasing anisotropy as the Curie temperature is approached.