The Recovery of a Magnetically Dead Layer on the Surface of an Anatase (Ti,Co)O2 Thin Film via an Ultrathin TiO2 Capping Layer
Thantip S. Krasienapibal 
1
Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
2
WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Department of Chemistry, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, and Center for Spintronics Research Network, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
3
Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, and Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology (KAST), Kawasaki 213-0012, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Mohan Jacob
Electronics 2017, 6(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics6010023
Received: 30 September 2016 / Revised: 7 February 2017 / Accepted: 28 February 2017 / Published: 18 March 2017
The effect of an ultrathin TiO2 capping layer on an anatase Ti0.95Co0.05O2−δ (001) epitaxial thin film on magnetism at 300 K was investigated. Films with a capping layer showed increased magnetization mainly caused by enhanced out-of-plane magnetization. In addition, the ultrathin capping layer was useful in prolonging the magnetization lifetime by more than two years. The thickness dependence of the magnetic domain structure at room temperature indicated the preservation of magnetic domain structure even for a 13 nm thick film covered with a capping layer. Taking into account nearly unchanged electric conductivity irrespective of the capping layer’s thickness, the main role of the capping layer is to prevent surface oxidation, which reduces electron carriers on the surface.
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Keywords:
ferromagnetic oxide semiconductor; Co-doped TiO2; room temperature ferromagnetism; magnetically dead layer; capping layer; magnetic domain structure; surface oxidation
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MDPI and ACS Style
Krasienapibal, T.S.; Fukumura, T.; Hasegawa, T. The Recovery of a Magnetically Dead Layer on the Surface of an Anatase (Ti,Co)O2 Thin Film via an Ultrathin TiO2 Capping Layer. Electronics 2017, 6, 23.
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