Perpendicular and in-plane hole asymmetry in a strained NiFeOfilm.

Strained materials can exhibit drastically modified physical properties in comparison to their fully relaxed analogues. We report on the x-ray absorption spectra (XAS) and magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) of a strained NiFeOinverse spinel film grown on a symmetry matched single crystal MgGaOsubstrate. The Ni XAS spectra exhibit a sizable difference in the white line intensity for measurements with the x-ray electric field parallel to the film plane (normal incidence) vs when the electric field is at an angle (off-normal). A considerable difference is also observed in the FeXMCD spectrum. Modeling of the XAS and XMCD spectra indicate that the modified energy ordering of the cation 3states in the strained film leads to a preferential filling of 3states with out-of-plane character. In addition, the results point to the utility of x-ray spectroscopy in identifying orbital populations even with elliptically polarized x-rays.