Tensile-Strain-Dependent Spin States in Epitaxial LaCoO3 Thin Films

The spin states of Co3þ ions in perovskite-type LaCoO3, governed by the complex interplay between the electron-lattice interactions and the strong electron correlations, still remain controversial due to the lack of experimental techniques which can directly detect them. In this Letter, we revealed the tensile-strain dependence of spin states, i.e., the ratio of the high- and low-spin states, in epitaxial thin films and a bulk crystal of LaCoO3 via resonant inelastic soft x-ray scattering. A tensile strain as small as 1.0% was found to realize different spin states from that in the bulk