Crystalline symmetry-dependent magnon formation in the itinerant ferromagnet SrRu O3

Abstract

SrRuO3 (SRO) is an itinerant ferromagnet with strong coupling between the charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom. This strong coupling suggests that the electronic and magnetic behaviors of SRO are highly susceptible to changes in the lattice distortion. Here we show how the spin interaction and resultant magnon formation change with the modification in the crystallographic orientation of SRO thin films. We fabricated SRO epitaxial thin films with (100), (110), and (111) surface orientations, to systematically modulate the spin interaction and spin dimensionality. The reduced spin dimensionality and enhanced exchange interaction in the (111)-oriented SRO thin film significantly suppress magnon formation. Our study comprehensively demonstrates the facile tunability of magnon formation and spin interaction in correlated oxide thin films. © 2021 American Physical Society.