Ferromagnetic properties with reentrant spin-glass behavior in amorphous EuZrO₃ thin film

We report on the preparation, structure, and magnetic properties of amorphous EuZrO₃, an amorphous ferromagnetic oxide. The samples were prepared in the form of thin film through a pulsed-laser-deposition method and their structure was confirmed to be amorphous by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscope observation. Amorphous EuZrO₃ thin films exhibit a ferromagnetic transition and reenter into a spin glass phase at a lower temperature, while crystalline EuZrO₃ is an antiferromagnet as reported previously. The difference in magnetic properties between amorphous and crystalline EuZrO₃ is suggested to arise from the difference in their structures.