Strain tuned magnetotransport of Jeff=1/2 antiferromagnetic Sr2IrO4 thin films

In this work, we report observation of strain effect on physical properties of Sr2IrO4 thin films grown on SrTiO3 (001) and LaAlO3 (001) substrates. It is found that the film on LaAlO3 with compressive strain has a lower antiferromagnetic transition temperature (TN~ 210 K) than the film on SrTiO3 (TN ~ 230 K) with tensile strain, which is probably caused by modified interlayer coupling. Interestingly, magnetoresistance due to pseudospin-flip of the film on LaAlO3 is much larger than that of tensile-strained film on SrTiO3, and robust anisotropic magnetoresistance is observed in the former, but H-driven reversal behavior is seen in the latter. By performing first principles calculations, it is revealed that epitaxial strain plays an efficient role in tuning the canting angle of Jeff = 1/2 moments and thus net moment at every IrO2 layer, responsible for the difference in magnetoresistance between the films. The reversal of anisotropic magnetoresistance of the thin film on SrTiO3 can be ascribed to bandgap engineering due to the rotation of Jeff = 1/2 moments. However, theoretical calculations reveal much higher magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy in the film on LaAlO3. This causes difficulties to drive the Jeff = 1/2 moments to reach the diagonal and thereby the metastable state, explaining the distinct anisotropic magnetoresistance between two samples in a qualitative sense. Our findings indicate that strain can be a highly efficient mean to engineer the functionalities of Jeff = 1/2 antiferromagnet Sr2IrO4.