Strain-Induced Magnetic Phases in Single-Crystal SrMnO₃ Thin-Film Membranes

Thin-film oxide membranes provide a promising platform for discovering strain-induced emergent physical properties not achievable in epitaxial thin films. Theoretical calculations predict that high biaxial strains (greater than 5%) can transition SrMnO₃ from an antiferromagnetic spin configuration to a ferromagnetic one. We have successfully fabricated high-quality, single-crystal SrMnO₃ free-standing membranes released from the growth substrate via an epitaxial sacrificial layer. These membranes were then transferred onto polyimide sheets, stretched to arbitrary tensile strains using micromanipulators, and the strain-state characterized using optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. We will discuss the magnetic properties of SrMnO₃ under various strain conditions.