Characterization methods of epitaxial Sr2FeMoO6 thin films

Abstract We have investigated the microstructure and the magnetic properties of Sr 2 FeMoO 6 thin films deposited on (0 0 1)-SrTiO 3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition. We have checked the influence of oxygen pressure on the roughness and the resistivity of the films. We found a narrow range of pressure (∼5×10 −6  Torr) leading to conductive films. Fixing the oxygen pressure at this value, we have performed a structural analysis for two characteristic samples grown at different temperatures. We have revealed the nucleation of iron-rich parasitic phases, the content of which depends on the growth temperature. The role of these Fe-rich inclusions on the electrical and magnetic properties of the SrFeMoO 6 films is also discussed.