Abstract
Single phase nickel-cobalt-titanate (NCT) thin films with a formula A1+2xTi1-xO3, where A is Ni2+,Co2+ and
-0.25<x<1, were grown by pulsed laser deposition on sapphire substrates. In Ti-poor region a thin film crystal structure not stable in bulk form was prepared. The structure is not stable in bulk form and is obtained by filling octahedra vacant in the corundum and ilmenite structures. When x = 1 all vacant sites are filled. A direct overlap between the adjacent cation d-orbitals result in a bond formation and magnetic interactions between the cations. This serves as a route to tailor functional properties. NCT-based materials are non-toxic and cheap, stable in the air, have tunable composition, and are producible in a sustainable manner. Here we report the structural properties of thin films as a function of Ti/(Ni+Co) ratio.
