Magnetic irreversibility of the Fe antidot arrays film by depositing on the porous alumina templates

An Fe layer was sputter-deposited onto porous alumina templates and Kapton respectively. Fe layer on the porous alumina templates formed an antidot arrays nanostructure, while Fe layer on the Kapton substrate formed a continuous film. Scanning electron microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction were employed to characterize the morphology and crystal structure of the Fe antidot arrays and continuous film, respectively. The temperature dependence of magnetic properties was shown in the temperature range 2-300 K. The irreversibility of the magnetization of Fe antidot arrays film, as measured in zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field cooling (FC) states, was attributed to the pinning effect of the holes.     

Depth dependence of Néel wall pinning on amorphous CoxSi1−x films with diluted arrays of elliptical antidots

Diluted arrays of elliptical antidots have been fabricated by optical lithography, electron beam lithography and plasma etching on amorphous Co₇₄Si₂₆ magnetic films with a well-defined uniaxial anisotropy. The magnetic behavior of two identical antidot arrays but with different hole depth in comparison with film thickness has been studied by transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect. Significant differences appear in the coercivity depending on whether the magnetic film is completely perforated or not, indicating a much more effective domain wall pinning process when the depth of the holes is smaller than the magnetic film thickness.     

Thermoelectric properties of one-dimensional graphene antidot arrays

We investigate the thermoelectric properties of one-dimensional (1D) graphene antidot arrays by nonequilibrium Green?s function method. We show that by introducing antidots to the pristine graphene nanoribbon the thermal conductance can be reduced greatly while keeping the power factor still high, thus leading to an enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). Our numerical results indicate that ZT values of 1D antidot graphene arrays can be up to unity, which means the 1D graphene antidot arrays may be promising for thermoelectric applications.     

Low-Temperature Magnetic Properties of Co Antidot Array

Cobalt antidot arrays with different thicknesses are fabricated by rf magnetron sputtering onto porous alumina substrates. Scanning electron microscopy and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction are employed to characterize the morphology and crystal structure of the antidot array, respectively. The temperature dependence of magnetic properties shows that in the temperature range 5K--300K, coercivity and squareness increase firstly, reach their maximum values, then decrease. The anomalous temperature dependences of coercivity and squareness are discussed by considering the pinning effect of the antidot and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy.     

Cobalt antidot arrays on membranes: Fabrication and investigation with transmission X-ray microscopy

We have developed a method to fabricate ferromagnetic antidot arrays on silicon nitride membrane substrates for electron or soft X-ray microscopy with antidot periods ranging from 2 μm down to 200 nm. Observations of cobalt antidot arrays with magnetic soft X-ray microscopy show that for large periods, flux closure states occur between the antidots in the as-grown state and on application of a magnetic field, domain chains are created which show a spin configuration at the chain ends comprising four 90° walls. Pinning of the domain chain ends plays an important role in the magnetization reversal, determining the length of the chains and resulting in preservation of the domain chain configuration on reducing of the applied magnetic field to zero.     

Out-of-plane coercive field of Ni80Fe20 antidot arrays

The out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy and out-of-plane magnetization reversal process of nanoscale Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ antidot arrays deposited by magnetron sputtering technique on an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane are investigated. The angular dependence of out-of-plane remanent magnetization of Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ antidot arrays shows that the maximum remanence is in-plane and the squareness of the out-of-plane hysteresis loop follow a |cos θ| dependence. The angular dependence of out-of-plane coercivity of Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ antidot arrays shows that the maximum coercivity lies on the surface of a cone with its symmetric axis normal to the sample plane, which indicates a transition of magnetic reversal from curling to coherent rotation when changing the angle between the applied magnetic field and the sample plane.     

Antidot diameter dependence of matching effect in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y with antidot array

To explore vortex states and their dynamics in superconductors with large thermal fluctuation and artificial pinning potentials, we have studied the influence of periodic arrays of antidots in high-T_c superconductor Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+y (Bi2212). The diameter dependence of the matching effect in Bi2212 without a change of the thickness and oxygen doping level was investigated using one Bi2212 single-crystal film of homogeneous thickness in which several different-diameter antidot arrays were introduced. The matching effect observed by vortex-flow resistance measurements changed systematically depending on the diameter. The antidot-diameter dependence of the irreversibility lines was examined.     

Exchange bias in nanopatterned Co antidots prepared by self-assembling polystyrene nanospheres

The exchange bias properties of nanopatterned thin films of Co, on top of which a native Co-oxide layer develops spontaneously, are studied by means of magnetic and magneto-resistance measurements. Both continuous and patterned films are investigated, the latter in the form of antidot arrays prepared with the self-assembling polystyrene nanospheres technique. The obtained antidot arrays are in the hexagonal close-packed configuration and cover a surface area of several square millimetres. Nanopatterned samples turn out to have a very good repeatability of their magnetic and magneto-resistive properties. The presence of a native oxide is responsible for the development of an exchange bias effect at temperatures below ~150 K, which has been reported both on hysteresis loops and on magneto-resistance curves; these consist of a superposition of an anisotropic magneto resistance (AMR) effect and a giant magneto-resistance (GMR)-like effect. The determination of the bias field by means of the two different sets of data is consistent and gives a complete picture of the phenomenology in this kind of nanopatterned magnetic systems.     

Influence of flat milling on vortex matching effect in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y with antidot array

Significant enlargements of antidot diameter by Ar-ion milling were observed in Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+y single-crystal films with antidot arrays as well as the thinning of the films. In an original sample with triangular array of antidots, whose diameter is about 200 nm, a few dip structures by the matching effect were observed in the vortex-flow resistance as a function of magnetic field. With increasing the milling time, the number of the dips increases and the appearance of the flow resistance becomes periodic oscillations. These features can be explained mainly by the increase of the antidot diameter.     

Magnetization distribution in submicrometer iron-nickel antidot arrays patterned by a focused ion beam

Antidots of size 0.5 μm are prepared by patterning iron-nickel films with a focused ion beam. The magnetization distribution in antidot arrays is examined with Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that one side of the array makes an angle of about 20° with the easy magnetic axis of the film. Magnetization reversal in the direction close to the easy magnetic axis starts with domain nucleation at the antidot edges that are perpendicular to the applied field and adjacent to the unpatterned region of the film, and propagates as the domain walls move. Magnetization reversal in the direction close to the hard magnetic axis starts with magnetization rotation outside the patterned region at the antidot edges and propagates as the domain walls execute a complicated motion. It is demonstrated that some areas between the edges of adjacent antidots can carry information bits. Results obtained are explained in terms of competition between the demagnetizing energy, energy of internal anisotropy, and misorientation effect. The feasibility of such structures as high-density storage elements is discussed.     

Coercive field behavior of permalloy antidot arrays based on self-assembled template fabrication

High-density magnetic antidot arrays have been fabricated by deposition of Fe₂₀Ni₈₀ thin films on self-assembled nanoporous alumina membranes (NAM) with high-order hexagonal symmetry. The magnetic properties induced by the size and the geometry configuration of the holes introduced in a Fe₂₀Ni₈₀ thin film are discussed based on hysteresis loops measured as a function of temperature. The precursor NAMs have pore diameters ranging between 35 and 95 nm (55 and 75 nm after the film deposition) and a lattice parameter of 105 nm. An enormous increase of coercitivity, as compared with the corresponding continuous films, was observed for temperatures between 2 and 300 K. This effect depends on the size and surface density of holes in the Fe₂₀Ni₈₀ antidot arrays. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) measurements were performed in order to better clarify the magnetic material that was eventually deposited within the NAM pores.     

Multi-vortex versus interstitial vortices scenario in superconducting antidot arrays

In superconducting thin films, engineered lattice of antidots (holes) act as an array of columnar pinning sites for the vortices and thus lead to vortex matching phenomena at commensurate fields guided by the lattice spacing. The strength and nature of vortex pinning is determined by the geometrical characteristics of the antidot lattice (such as the lattice spacing a₀, antidot diameter d, lattice symmetry, and orientation) along with the characteristic length scales of the superconducting thin films, viz., the coherence length (ξ) and the penetration depth (λ). There are at least two competing scenarios: (i) multiple vortices sit on each of the antidots at a higher matching period and (ii) there is nucleation of vortices at the interstitial sites at higher matching periods. Furthermore, it is also possible for the nucleated interstitial vortices to reorder under suitable conditions. We present our experimental results on NbN antidot arrays in the light of the above scenarios.     

Nanolithography with an atomic force microscope

A lithographic technique, employing the vibrating tip of an atomic force microscope to mechanically pattern various materials such as photoresist, metals or semiconductors in the nanometre regime has been developed. We use this technique for the fabrication of etch masks as well as for the patterning of evaporation shadow masks.The tip quality has been found to be a crucial factor in the lithographic resolution. We therefore use ultra hard, amorphous carbon tips, which are prepared by electron beam deposition in an electron microscope. With these tips, additionally sharpened in an oxygen plasma, we now succeed in fabricating hole arrays with periods in the 10 nm regime. These hole arrays are transferred to the electron system of a GaAs–AlGaAs heterostructure, and the magneto resistance of such fabricated antidot arrays is discussed.     

Anisotropic magnetoresistance in electrodeposited cobalt antidot arrays

Nanosphere lithography is a simple and accessible technique for nanostructuring of materials. Combined with electrodeposition, it allows the production of compact, ordered antidot networks. In contrast to other lithographic techniques, the resulting nanostructure shows periodicity also along the growth axis. Interesting results are expected for the magnetoresistive behavior of such structures as function of thickness, due to the confinement of electronic routes and the strong shape anisotropy. We were able to electrodeposit cobalt antidot structures of homogeneous and controlled thickness directly over silicon substrates. Room temperature anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) as function of thickness and nanosphere diameter are presented, with the magnetic field applied in plane, transverse to the applied current. An overlap of two effects is observed. At fields lower than 2 kOe typical hysteretic AMR peaks appear around the coercive field, and tend to disappear for thicker films. At higher fields, a reversible contribution, caused by the forced magnetization that rotates the spin away from the local current direction, lowers the magnetoresistance, before it reaches its saturation value.     

三维拓扑绝缘体antidot阵列结构中的磁致输运研究

利用聚焦离子束刻蚀技术在拓扑绝缘体Bi_2Se_3薄膜中刻蚀了纳米尺度的反点(antidot)阵列,并对制作的三个器件进行了系统的电学输运测量研究.低温下,所有器件中都观察到明显的弱反局域化效应.通过对弱反局域化效应的分析,发现器件一(Dev-1,不含有antidot阵列)和器件二(Dev-2,含有周期较大的antidot阵列)是始终由一个导电通道主导的量子输运系统,但在器件三(Dev-3,含有周期较小的antidot阵列)中能明确观察到较低温度下存在两个独立的导电通道,而在较高温度下Dev-3表现为由一个导电通道主导的量子输运系统.     

Ordered magnetic nanohole and antidot arrays prepared through replication from anodic alumina templates

Highly ordered arrays of Ni nanoholes and Fe₂₀Ni₈₀ antidots have been prepared, respectively, by replica/antireplica processing and sputtering techniques using nanoporous alumina membranes as templates. Geometrical characteristics as nanohole/antidot diameter, interpore distance and the overall hexagonal symmetry of arrays are controlled through the original templates. Experimental data on their hysteresis and magnetic domain structure have been taken by vibrating sample magnetometry and magnetic force microscopy, respectively. An analysis of the magnetization process, resulting magnetic anisotropy and magnetic domain structure is summarized considering the influence of those geometry aspects. In particular, the hexagonal symmetry and the density of nanohole/antidots determine the overall magnetic behavior, which is of interest in future high-density magnetic storage systems.     

Confinement and deconfinement in the potential of antidot arrays of a massless Dirac electron in magnetic fields

We have investigated the effect of inter-Landau level mixing on confinement/deconfinement in antidot potentials of states with energies less than the potential height of the antidot array. We find that, depending on the ratio between the size of the antidot R and the magnetic length [Formula: see text], probability densities display confinement or deconfinement in antidot potentials (B is the magnetic field). When R/???1 form a nearly degenerate band and their probability densities are independent of k, in contrast to the case of R/??相似文献   

Ballistic electron transport in lateral antidot arrays investigated by scattering-matrix method

A scattering-matrix method is formulated for the study of ballistic electron transport in a lateral quantum system. It is shown that the physically important and less localized states are allowed to dominate in the implementation of the formalism and, therefore, the method remains numerically stable. As an example of its application, the method has been used to study electron transport in both weakly and strongly modulated one-dimensional antidot arrays defined in a two-dimensional electron-gas (2DEG) constriction. For the arrays with a weak modulation, we show that the conductance bands can appear at the edges of the conductance plateaux of the 2DEG constriction. For the arrays with a strong modulation, a more complicated conductance structure has been found. The conductance at high Fermi energies is seen to be characterized by two kinds of fluctuations, namely slow and rapid fluctuations. The slow fluctuations result from wave interferences in a form of Bragg reflections, while the rapid fluctuations reflect the formation of electron minibands. However, due to strong overlaps between the minibands, regular miniband formation may only be observed in the low Fermi energy range.     

Magnetic and resonance properties of Fe nanowire arrays on oxidised step-bunched silicon templates

Room-temperature magnetic properties of planar nanowire arrays of Fe have been studied using comprehensive analysis of FMR and magnetometry data. It has been shown that the Fe NWs are ferromagnetic at room temperature and their magnetic properties are mainly governed by shape anisotropy. Combining parameters derived from the FMR study with experimental data of magnetometry, simulations of hysteresis loops have been performed based on Stoner–Wohlfarth approach. Calculations show that magnetisation reversal of Fe NWs has a coherent-rotation type of localised character. As NW thickness decreases, localisation of the magnetisation reversal mode is found to enhance due to increased inhomogeneity of thinner NWs.     

Application of conformal mapping to the determination of magnetic moment distributions in typical antidot film nanostructures

There has been an increasing technological interest on magnetic thin films containing antidot arrays of hexagonal or square symmetry. Part of this interest is related to the possibility of domain formation and pinning at the antidots boundaries. In this paper, we develop an accurate method for the simulation of the magnetic moments distribution for such arrays. The method concentrates the calculations on the immediate vicinity of each antidot. For each antidot distribution (square or hexagonal) a suitable system of coordinates is defined to exploit the shape of the unit-cells of the overall nanostructure. The Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert-Brown equations that govern the distribution of moments are rewritten in terms of these coordinates. The moments orientation is calculated as a function of time until equilibrium is reached, in a Cartesian grid defined for these new coordinate systems. A conformal transformation is applied to insert the moment vectors into the actual unit-cell. The resulting vector maps display quite clearly regions of different moment orientation around the antidots, which can be associated with nanoscale domains. The results are similar to the ones obtained by other authors [C.C. Wang, A.O. Adeyeye, N. Singh, Nanotechnology 17, 1629 (2006); C.C. Wang, A.O. Adeyeye, N. Singh, Y.S. Huang, Y.H. Hu, Phys. Rev. B 72, 174426 (2005); C.T. Yu, H. Jiang, L. Shen, P. Flanders, G. Mankey, J. Appl. Phys. 87, 6322 (2000); E. Mengotti, L.J. Heyderman, F. Nolting, B.R. Craig, J.N. Chapman, L.L. Diaz, R.J. Matelon, U.G. Volkman, M. Klaui, U. Rudiger, C. Vaz, J. Bland, J. Appl. Phys. 103, 07D509 (2008)] using the NIST oommf method, but obtained in a much simpler and direct way.