GdN/SmN superlattices; influence of a Zeeman/exchange conflict
E.-M. Anton,
W. F. Holmes-Hewett,
J. F. McNulty,
F. Natali,
F. Bramley,
Y. Choi,
D. Haskel,
B. J. Ruck,
H. J. Trodahl
Affiliations
E.-M. Anton
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
W. F. Holmes-Hewett
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
J. F. McNulty
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
F. Natali
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
F. Bramley
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Y. Choi
Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
D. Haskel
Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA
B. J. Ruck
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
H. J. Trodahl
The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
GdN and SmN are two of the lanthanide nitrides, most of which are intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductors. Superlattices comprising the pair offer a unique opportunity to investigate heterojunctions that feature simultaneous conductivity and magnetic interface influences. Here we report an investigation of these influences, using magnetisation and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism for magnetic effects, and magnetoresistance and Hall effect studies of their electrical conductance. Magnetic data show clear signatures of a conflicting Zeeman vs. interfacial exchange and the magnetic disruption that results, while resistivity and Hall measurements show conduction in both GdN and SmN.
