Pulsed laser co-deposition of titania with Fe: chemistry, local atomic structure, and light-dependent magnetic properties

摘要

TiO_2:Fe thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition exhibit in some case light dependent saturation magnetization, as determined from Kerr magnetometry measurements performed in dark or by illuminating the sample. This phenomenon is studied in correlation with local atomic structure investigated by extended X-ray absorption fine structure, composition and chemical state analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by X-ray absorption near-edge structure. It is found that light-controllable magnetism is a property of a mixture of Fe and oxidized Fe clusters embedded in the anatase TiO_2 matrix.