Investigation of magnetic domain patterns on a thin film surface of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 at various temperatures using magnetic force microscopy

A 350-nm thin film of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) was deposited on a native SiO2 layer of Si(0 0 1), by dc magnetron sputtering. The Curie temperatures (Tc) of the LSMO thin film were measured by a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer, and were found to be 339, 340 and 344 K at applied magnetic fields of 50 Oe, 1 kOe, and 10 kOe, respectively. The θ–2θ X-ray diffraction spectra (XDS) of the deposited LSMO thin film present the structures of the (0 0 1), (0 1 1), (1 1 1), and (0 0 2) planes on the native SiO2 layer of Si(0 0 1). The magnetic domain patterns of the off-plane magnetized thin film were observed by atomic force microscopy and magnetic force microscopy, between room temperature and the elevated temperature, 340 K, to elucidate the thermo-magnetic interaction.