Charge transfer and interfacial magnetism in (LaNiO3)n/(LaMnO3)2 superlattices

(LaNiO3)n/(LaMnO3)2 superlattices were grown using ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, where LaNiO3 is a paramagnetic metal and LaMnO3 is an antiferromagnetic insulator. The superlattices exhibit excellent crystallinity and interfacial roughness of less than 1 unit cell. X-ray spectroscopy and dichroism measurements indicate that electrons are transferred from the LaMnO3 to the LaNiO3, inducing magnetism in LaNiO3. Magnetotransport measurements reveal a transition from metallic to insulating behavior as the LaNiO3 layer thickness is reduced from 5 unit cells to 2 unit cells and suggest a modulated magnetic structure within LaNiO3.