Magnetic anisotropy of epitaxially (100)- and (111)-oriented Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin films on SrTiO3 substrates

• Epitaxially (100)- and (111)-oriented Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin films on SrTiO3 substrates.
• Crystal structure of the thin films is discussed.
• Growth mechanism of the thin films is determined by AFM image.
• Growth orientation dependent magnetization and magnetic anisotropy.

We investigated magnetic properties of epitaxial Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin films grown on single crystal SrTiO3 substrates deposited by pulsed laser deposition method. On the single crystal (100) and (111) SrTiO3 substrates, the (100)- and (111)-oriented Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin films were obtained, respectively. The (100)- and (111)-oriented Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin films exhibited rough surface with grains and smooth surface with a step and terrace structure, respectively. This result suggests they grow in an island and layer-by-layer growth mode, respectively. The (111)-oriented Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin film exhibited ferromagnetic hysteresis with remnant magnetization of 0.15 μB/CoμB/Co. In contrast, superparamagnetic hysteresis was observed in the (100)-oriented Sr0.8Ho0.2CoO3−δ thin film.