Orbital Angular Momentum-Driven Ferromagnetism with Magnetic Anisotropy and Electronic Structure of Epitaxial Neodymium Nitride.
basic_science · Level V
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- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acsnano.5c11890.
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Abstract
Neodymium-based permanent magnets are fundamental to modern technologies, underpinning high-performance applications in electronics, renewable energy, and advanced medical systems. Among emerging neodymium compounds, neodymium nitride (NdN) has attracted significant attention due to its unique electronic structure, where strongly localized 4<i>f</i> orbitals and strong spin-orbit coupling are anticipated to drive exceptional magnetic behavior. Here, we show conclusive experimental evidence of orbital angular momentum-driven ferromagnetic ordering and prominent magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial, near-stoichiometric NdN thin films synthesized using ultrahigh vacuum deposition techniques. Magnetization and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements reveal a dominant 4<i>f</i> orbital moment of 5.14 μ<sub><i>B</i></sub>, contributing to a total magnetic moment of 2.43 μ<sub><i>B</i></sub> per formula unit at 4 K, close to the first-principles density functional theory calculated values. Complementary synchrotron-radiation photoelectron spectroscopy, along with the theoretical calculations, uncovers occupied 4<i>f</i> states ∼6.4 eV below the Fermi level, contributing to the orbital-driven ferromagnetism in NdN. Moreover, the high crystalline quality of the NdN films is further supported by the structural characterization and vibrational properties. The intrinsic orbital angular momentum-driven magnetism of NdN positions it as a promising platform for next-generation orbitronic devices beyond conventional spintronics.