title: Role of scaffold network in controlling strain and functionalities of nanocomposite films.
abstract: Strain is a novel approach to manipulating functionalities in correlated complex oxides. However, significant epitaxial strain can only be achieved in ultrathin layers. We show that, under direct lattice matching framework, large and uniform vertical strain up to 2% can be achieved to significantly modify the magnetic anisotropy, magnetism, and magnetotransport properties in heteroepitaxial nanoscaffold films, over a few hundred nanometers in thickness. Comprehensive designing principles of large vertical strain have been proposed. Phase-field simulations not only reveal the strain distribution but also suggest that the ultimate strain is related to the vertical interfacial area and interfacial dislocation density. By changing the nanoscaffold density and dimension, the strain and the magnetic properties can be tuned. The established correlation among the vertical interface-strain-properties in nanoscaffold films can consequently be used to tune other functionalities in a broad range of complex oxide films far beyond critical thickness.
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Aiping
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Jia-Mian
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratories, Mail Stop 1411, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Tiannan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Wenrui
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0223-1924
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Leigang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Towfiq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Enriquez
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8745-7876
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weigand
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7397-1209
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Jian-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 OFS, UK.
authors.forename: Judith L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: MacManus-Driscoll
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Long-Qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yarotski
authors.affiliation: Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Quanxi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D008280:Magnetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010087:Oxides
keywords: magnetic anisotropy; magnetoresistance; microstructures; phase field simulation; strain engineering; thin films