title: Experimental evidence for ferromagnetism at room temperature in MgO thin films.
abstract: Ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature (RTFM) in MgO thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering under various atmospheric conditions and temperatures is reported. A saturation magnetization (M(S)) value as high as 1.58 emu g(-1) is (0.046 μB/unit cell) observed for a 170 nm film deposited at RT under an oxygen pressure of 1.3 × 10(-4) mbar. In contrast, films deposited at elevated temperature (under an identical oxygen pressure), or at higher oxygen pressures, as well as under a nitrogen atmosphere at RT show significantly suppressed magnetization. The ferromagnetic order in the MgO matrix is believed to be defect induced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. mukes@kth.se
authors.forename: Mukes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kapilashrami
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Lyuba
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Belova
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carlegrim
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fahlman