Precise control of J eff = 1 2 magnetic properties in Sr 2 IrO 4 epitaxial thin films by variation of strain and thin film thickness

The 5$d$ transition metal oxides offer a plethora of possibilities to further enrich the fascinating physics of complex 3$d$ compounds by generating novel physical properties at the strong spin-orbit coupling limit. Here, the authors demonstrate that the magnetic correlation length in Sr${}_{2}$IrO${}_{4}$ thin films strongly depends on the film thickness, while it is completely independent of their strain state. This creates the opportunity to fine-tune the magnetic correlation length and may open up important inroads into the stabilization of superconductivity in Sr${}_{2}$IrO${}_{4}$.