Tunable magnetic switching behavior in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/ PbTiO3 multilayers

Tuning magnetic switching behavior and related magnetic configuration of transition metal oxides (TMOs) is critical for realizing multifunctional materials and devices. In this study, we manipulated the magnetic switching behavior through interface engineering by introducing ferroelectric PbTiO3 (PTO) to form La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO)/PTO multilayers. Both the normal hysteresis loop (NHL) and the inverted hysteresis loop (IHL) could be tuned by changing the PTO thickness. All multilayers displayed a transition from NHL to IHL with increasing temperature, and the transition temperature increased with the insertion of the PTO layer or increasing thickness of the PTO. In addition, it was found that the increase in the Curie temperature (Tc) and saturation magnetization (Ms), as well as the decrease in the coercive field (Hc) and exchange bias field (Heb) with a reduction in the thickness of the PTO, is possibly related to the interface phase. This study illustrates the influence of the ferroelectric PTO thickness on the magnetic switching behavior and related magnetic configuration in LSMO, which is possibly driven by the unscreened depolarization charge and oxygen octahedral tilting. This finding may benefit the application of TMOs in multifunctional memory devices.