Element specific hysteresis of La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃—SrRuO₃ (LSMO-SRO) heterostructures

The ferromagnetic oxides La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) and SrRuO3 (SRO) couple antiferromagnetically, leading to a canted spin-structure at the interface’s proximity. Performing first-principles calculations in combination with Monte Carlo and finite temperature micromagnetic simulations, we explore possible magnetic phases and find a distinctive element specific hysteresis behavior whose dependence on external parameters is analyzed. The results reveal the interplay of magnetic anisotropy and exchange coupling at the interface for the appearance of interfacial spin canting and unusual magnetic switching which are of strong relevance for spintronic devices. In particular, the different coercive fields for SRO and LSMO allow performing selective switching of SRO and LSMO layers.