Combinatorial fabrication and magnetic properties of homoepitaxial Co and Li co-doped NiO thin-film nanostructures

Magnetic properties of nanostructured epitaxial thin layers of a series of Co and Li co-doped NiO on MgO(1 0 0) substrate with NiO buffer layer have been investigated. Thin films were synthesized by combinatorial laser molecular beam epitaxy (CLMBE) in the continuous binary composition spread approach. Large and linear variation of x was achieved in the growth of Co_xLi_0.2Ni_0.8−xO_, onto 9 mm of single substrate. Homoepitaxial growth with smooth surface morphology was confirmed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Linear decrease in the band gap and optical transparency was observed with increasing cobalt concentration. The magneto-optical Kerr effect revealed a strong photon energy dependency with negative Kerr rotation for all the Co-concentrations in the film, suggesting intra-valence charge transfer (IVCT) between low spin state Co²⁺ with host Ni²⁺. Ferromagnetic (FM)-like ordering was observed at low temperatures, while antiferromagnetism predominates at room temperature in the Co and Li co-doped nickel oxide epitaxial films.