Structural relaxation and domain formation in anisotropically strained La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/LaFeO₃ superlattices on DyScO₃(101)

Anisotropic strain engineering in epitaxial oxide films provides new opportunities to control the antiferromagnetic and structural properties crucial for advancements of antiferromagnetic spintronics. Here we report on a (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/LaFeO3)4 superlattice grown on (101)o DyScO3 substrate which imposes significant anisotropic in-plane strain. Reciprocal space mapping reveals selective strain relaxation along the tensile in-plane [010]o axis, while compression along the perpendicular in-plane [[Formula: see text]]o axis remains strained. Scanning precession electron diffraction and higher-order Laue zone analysis show that the relaxation is accommodated by structural domain formation in the LaFeO3 layers, initiating from the second bilayer and propagating out-of-plane. These domains minimise structural defects and correlate with the substrate step edges. X-ray magnetic dichroism measurements reveal bulk-like in-plane antiferromagnetic order with polydomain signature as previously reported. Our findings reveal the presence of structural domains coexisting with antiferromagnetic polydomain states, showing a strain-domain-magnetism relationship that provides insights for applications of strain engineering in spintronics applications.