Asymmetric magnetization reversal behavior and noncollinear anisotropies in exchange-bias system

The effect of noncollinearity between unidirectional and uniaxial anisotropies on asymmetric magnetization reversal of ferromagnet/antiferromagnet (FM/AFM) bilayer has been investigated. The results show the emergence of noncollinear anisotropies comes from the competition among applied magnetic field, magnetic anisotropy and exchange coupling in FM/AFM interface. The noncollinearity can lead to the asymmetry of hysteresis loop of FM/AFM bilayer. However, when the magnetic field is applied along the uniaxial anisotropy axis of FM layer, the hysteresis loop of FM/AFM bilayer is always symmetry independence of the noncollinear angle. Our results indicate that the asymmetry not only originates from the noncollinearity but also depends on the applied magnetic field orientation. Moreover, the asymmetry of hysteresis loop is always along with the appearance of unequivalence for magnetization reversal of FM/AFM bilayer, and there is a periodicity of π with orientation of applied field for its periodicity independence of the angle of the noncollinearity between the uniaxial and unidirectional anisotropies. The results can help us to open additional avenues to tailor the future advance magnetic device.     

铁磁/反铁磁双层膜系统中的磁畴动力学行为

比较了铁磁单层膜与铁磁/反铁磁双层膜结构中的磁畴演化行为, 发现由于反铁磁层膜对铁磁层膜的耦合作用使得系统的磁畴壁厚度、 磁畴壁等效质量、磁畴壁移动速度等发生了改变, 系统的矫顽场增强, 并出现了交换偏置场. 文章具体研究了反铁磁层耦合作用下其磁畴壁厚度、 等效质量以及磁畴壁移动速度等与反铁磁层的净磁化、 磁各向异性、界面耦合强度以及温度等的关系; 并研究了其对铁磁/反铁磁双层膜中的交换偏置场、矫顽场的影响. 进而 从磁畴结构的形成及其演化上揭示了铁磁/反铁磁双 层膜中出现交换偏置以及矫顽场增加的物理机制.     

The magnetoresistive effect induced by stress in spin-valve structure

Using a method of free energy minimization, this paper investigates the magnetization properties of a ferromagnetic (FM) monolayer and an FM/antiferromagnetic (AFM) bilayer under a stress field, respectively. It then investigates the magnetoresistance (MR) of the spin-valve structure, which is built by an FM monolayer and an FM/AFM bilayer, and its dependence upon the applied stress field. The results show that under the stress field, the magnetization properties of the FM monolayer is obviously different from that of the FM/AFM bilayer, since the coupled AFM layer can obviously block the magnetization of the FM layer. This phenomenon makes the MR of the spin-valve structure become obvious. In detail, there are two behaviors for the MR of the spin-valve structure dependence upon the stress field distinguished by the coupling (FM coupling or AFM coupling) between the FM layer and the FM/AFM bilayer. Either behavior of the MR of the spin-valve structure depends on the stress field including its value and orientation. Based on these investigations, a perfect mechanical sensor at the nano-scale is suggested to be devised experimentally.     

Kinetics of magnetization reversal in a heterophase nanomagnet with spatially modulated anisotropy

Magnetization reversal modes in a thin-film NiFeCuMo ferromagnet (FM) with periodically varying in-plane anisotropy are studied by the magneto-optical indicator film (MOIF) technique. The uni-directional anisotropy in FM regions exchange-coupled to a FeMn antiferromagnet (AFM) film in the form of square mesh stripes is alternated by the uniaxial anisotropy in the FM regions inside this mesh. It is shown that the boundaries formed along the edges of these stripes, which separate FM regions with different anisotropy, crucially influence the kinetics of domain-structure transformation in both types of FM regions. It is established that the lateral exchange anisotropy in the ferromagnet, which is determined by the stabilization of the spin distribution in the FM layer along the FM-(FM/AFM) interface, leads to the asymmetry of the magnetization reversal in FM regions bordered with an FM/AFM structure. Anisotropy of the mobility of 180-degree “charged” and “uncharged” domain walls situated, respectively, perpendicular and parallel to the unidirectional anisotropy axis is revealed. The difference observed between the mobilities of charged and uncharged domain walls is attributed to the difference in the spin distribution in these walls with respect to the unidirectional anisotropy axis and is a key factor for the difference between the magnetization reversal kinetics in horizontal and vertical exchange-biased FM stripes. Drastic differences are revealed in the asymmetry of magnetization reversal processes in mutually perpendicular narrow stripes of FM/AFM structures. Possible mechanisms of magnetization reversal in low-dimensional FM-(FM/AFM) heterostructures are discussed with regard to the effect of domain walls localized on the edges of AFM layers.     

交换偏置系统中的反铁磁磁化与自旋波

采用自由能变分法研究了铁磁/反铁磁双层膜系统在反铁磁层存在净磁化下的自旋波谱.本模型中铁磁薄层具有单轴磁晶各向异性和立方磁晶各向异性,反铁磁层仅具有单轴磁晶各向异性,但厚度有限,推导出了系统铁磁共振频率的表达式.结果表明：系统的自旋波谱分光学模和声学模两种,其中光学模仅在反铁磁层存在净磁化时得到激发.自旋波谱可按外磁场强度的变化情况分为强弱两支;区分强磁场和弱磁场的临界场依赖于铁磁/反铁磁间的交换作用,反铁磁层的磁化强度以及反铁磁层的厚度等.交换偏置场对光学模的影响明显于声学模,而反铁磁的净磁化和其厚度对系统的影响紧密联系,难以区分.但当反铁磁层净磁化很小可忽略时,系统只存在声学模激发. 关键词： 铁磁/反铁磁双层膜 反铁磁层净磁化 光学模 声学模     

Exchange-coupling-induced fourfold magnetic anisotropy in CoFeB/FeRh bilayer grown on SrTiO3(001)

Exchange coupling across the interface between a ferromagnetic (FM) layer and an antiferromagnetic (AFM) or another FM layer may induce a unidirectional magnetic anisotropy and/or a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, which has been extensively studied due to the important application in magnetic materials and devices. In this work, we observed a fourfold magnetic anisotropy in amorphous CoFeB layer when exchange coupling to an adjacent FeRh layer which is epitaxially grown on an SrTiO₃(001) substrate. As the temperature rises from 300 K to 400 K, FeRh film undergoes a phase transition from AFM to FM phase, the induced fourfold magnetic anisotropy in the CoFeB layer switches the orientation from the FeRh$\langle 110\rangle $ to FeRh$\langle 100\rangle $ directions and the strength is obviously reduced. In addition, the effective magnetic damping as well as the two-magnon scattering of the CoFeB/FeRh bilayer also remarkably increase with the occurrence of magnetic phase transition of FeRh. No exchange bias is observed in the bilayer even when FeRh is in the nominal AFM state, which is probably because the residual FM FeRh moments located at the interface can well separate the exchange coupling between the below pinned FeRh moments and the CoFeB moments.     

Magnetic behaviour of interacting antiferromagnetic nanoparticles

Magnetic properties of interacting La(0.2)Ca(0.8)MnO(3) nanoparticles have been investigated. The field-induced transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) state in the La(0.2)Ca(0.8)MnO(3) bulk has been observed at exceptionally high magnetic fields. For large particles, the field-induced transition widens while magnetization progressively decreases. In small particles the transition is almost fully suppressed. The thermoremanence and isothermoremanence curves constitute fingerprints of irreversible magnetization originating from nanoparticle shells. We have ascribed the magnetic behaviour of nanoparticles to a core-shell scenario with two main magnetic contributions; one attributed to the formation of a collective state formed by FM clusters in frustrated coordination at the surfaces of interacting AFM nanoparticles and the other associated with inner core behaviour as a two-dimensional diluted antiferromagnet.     

Recent advances in exchange bias of layered magnetic FM/AFM systems

The exchange bias(EB) has been investigated in magnetic materials with the ferromagnetic(FM)/antiferromagnetic(AFM) contacting interfaces for more than half a century.To date,the significant progress has been made in the layered magnetic FM/AFM thin film systems.EB mechanisms have shown substantive research advances.Here some of the new advances are introduced and discussed with the emphasis on the influence of AFM layer,the interlayer EB coupling across nonmagnetic spacer,and the interlayer coupling across AFM layer,as well as EB related to multiferrioc materials and electrical control.     

Finite size effects in shell nanoparticles

The finite size effects on magnetic properties of shell particles in the shape of truncated octahedron are studied using classical O(3) Heisenberg model. Both considered cases with nearest neighbor ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) exchange interactions show the existence of the well-defined ground state. The FM particles show FM order, while AFM particles show freezing in the non-collinear structure with very low magnetization due to the presence of frustrated triangular facets. The variation of magnetization, susceptibility and specific heat as a function of size shows considerable differences from that in the three-dimensional (3D) particles. We also observe effects of shell geometry, i.e. the fraction of sites in facets, edges and vertexes, which affects the apparent ordering temperature.     

Experimental magnetic study and evidence of the exchange bias effect in unidimensional Co arrays produced by interference lithography

A simple process for fabricating submicrometric magnetic arrays employing interference lithography, sputtering deposition and lift-off processes is proposed and demonstrated. The magnetic properties of cobalt (Co) arrays were measured and compared with those of a continuous Co magnetic film. The results show a dependence of the hysteresis curve on the orientation of the field as regards the array, which is correlated with the anisotropy of the structures and a dependence of the coercive field on the periodicity of the arrays. Moreover, an exchange bias effect was observed, which is ascribed to a ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (FM/AFM) coupling between Co and a thin surface cobalt oxide (CoO) layer.     

铁磁/反铁磁双层膜系统中的交换偏置及矫顽场的温度特性

提出了一个讨论铁磁／反铁磁双层膜中的交换偏置及矫顽场温度特性的物理模型，该模型，假设铁磁层为具有单畴各向异性的单畴膜而反铁磁层由许多相互独立具有多晶各向异性的颗粒组成，其温度依赖性主要来源于系统态的热不稳定，包括反铁磁颗粒易轴取向的热涨落和相关磁学量的温度依赖性等。计算结果表明其交换偏置随温度的增加非线性地减少而其矫顽场在体阻截温度处达极大值，且其体阻截温度随反铁磁颗粒粒径的增加而增加。我们的计算结果和相关实验结果一致，通过本的讨论，我们建议通过铁磁膜耦合上大粒径硬反铁磁颗粒膜可获得高交换偏置、低矫顽场且近独立于温度的相关磁学器件。     

自旋轨道矩调控的垂直磁各向异性四态存储器结构

利用氧化钽缓冲层对垂直各向异性钴铂多层膜磁性的影响,构想并验证了一种四态存储器单元.存储器器件包含两个区域,其中一区域的钴铂多层膜[Pt(3 nm)/Co(0.47 nm)/Pt(1.5 nm)]直接生长在热氧化硅衬底上,另一个区域在磁性膜和衬底之间沉积了一层氧化钽作为缓冲层[TaO x(0.3 nm)/Pt(3 nm)/Co(0.47 nm)/Pt(1.5 nm)],缓冲层导致两个区域的垂直磁各向异性不同.在固定的水平磁场下对器件施加与磁场同向的电流,由于电流引起的自旋轨道耦合力矩,两个区域的磁化取向均会发生翻转,且拥有不同的临界翻转电流.改变通过器件导电通道的电流脉冲形式,器件的磁化状态可以在4个态之间切换.本文器件的结构为设计自旋轨道矩存储器件提供了新的思路.     

Fe掺杂La0．8Sr0．2Co1-xFexO3磁性的研究

利用溶胶-凝胶法制备了一系列的La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品.通过研究在不同外加磁场下磁化强度和温度变化的关系发现,在较高的外场下La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品的磁性反转现象没有被观察到;在低场下La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3系统磁性反转现象被实现.这说明Fe的掺杂引起了La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品中铁磁和反铁磁之间的竞争,导致了La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品磁性反转;同时外加磁场的强弱影响了La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3系统磁性反转现象的发生,外加磁场增大使得在La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品中Co离子的自旋平行趋势更强,在铁磁和反铁磁之间的竞争中铁磁耦合占主导优势,因此在较高的外场下磁性反转现象没有被观察到.     

Pressure Tuning of Magnetism and Drastic Increment of Thermal Conductivity under Applied Magnetic Field in HgCr_2S_4

HgCr_2S_4 is a typical compound manifesting competing ferromagnetic(FM) and antiferromagnetic(AFM) exchanges as well as strong spin-lattice coupling.Here we study these effects by intentionally choosing a combination of magnetization under external hydrostatic pressure and thermal conductivity at various magnetic fields.Upon applying pressure up to 10 kbar at 1kOe,while the magnitude of magnetization reduces progressively,the AFM ordering temperature T_N enhances concomitantly at a rate of about 1.5K/kbar.Strikingly,at 10 kOe the field polarized FM state is found to be driven readily back to an AFM one even at only 5 kbar.In addition,the thermal conductivity exhibits drastic increments at various fields in the temperature range with strong spin fluctuations,reaching about 30% at 50 kOe.Consequently,the results give new experimental evidence of spin-lattice coupling.Apart from the colossal magnetocapacitance and colossal magnetoresistance reported previously,the findings here may enable new promising functionalities for potential applications.     

Exchange bias and domain evolution at 10 nm scales

For a fixed 2 μm×2 μm area of a Co/Pt-CoO perpendicular exchange bias system we image the ferromagnetic (FM) domains for various applied fields with 10-nm resolution by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). Using quantitative MFM we measure the local areal density of pinned uncompensated spins (pinUCS) in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) CoO layer and correlate the FM domain structure with the UCS density. Larger applied fields drive the receding domains to areas of proportionally higher pinUCS aligned antiparallel to FM moments. The data confirm that the evolution of the FM domains is determined by the pinUCS in the AFM layer, and also present examples of frustration in the system.     

The hysteresis loops of FM/AFM two-layer Bethe lattice

The distinct hysteresis loops (HLs) of ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (FM/AFM) two-layer Bethe lattice with the Ising spins of the top layer having only FM interactions and the bottom ones having only AFM interactions with the interlayer coupling is either FM or AFM type are studied by using a pairwise approach. The sublattice magnetizations are studied by increasing and decreasing the external magnetic field (H) to obtain the HLs. The shapes of the HLs are strongly dependent on the competitions among the system parameters and on the phase configurations. The HLs are formed only when the AFM-type interactions are involved. The small loops of hysteresis are also formed because of the reentrant behavior in the FM region.     

Large reversible magnetocaloric effect induced by metamagnetic transition in antiferromagnetic HoNiGa compound

The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects(MCE) of Ho Ni Ga compound are investigated systematically.The Ho Ni Ga exhibits a weak antiferromagnetic(AFM) ground state below the Neel temperature TNof 10 K, and the AFM ordering could be converted into ferromagnetic(FM) ordering by external magnetic field. Moreover, the field-induced FM phase exhibits a high saturation magnetic moment and a large change of magnetization around the transition temperature,which then result in a large MCE. A large-?S_M of 22.0 J/kg K and a high RC value of 279 J/kg without magnetic hysteresis are obtained for a magnetic field change of 5 T, which are comparable to or even larger than those of some other magnetic refrigerant materials in the same temperature range. Besides, the μ_0H~(2/3)dependence of |?S_M~(pk)| well follows the linear fitting according to the mean-field approximation, suggesting the nature of second-order FM–PM magnetic transition under high magnetic fields. The large reversible MCE induced by metamagnetic transition suggests that Ho Ni Ga compound could be a promising material for magnetic refrigeration in low temperature range.     

Effects of divalent alkaline earth ions on the magnetic and transport features of La0.65A0.35Mn0.95Fe0.05O3 (A = Ca, Sr, Pb, Ba) compounds

We have studied the magnetic and transport properties of Fe doped La_0.65A_0.35Mn_0.95Fe_0.05O₃ (A = Ca, Sr, Pb, Ba) manganites. All the compositions show ferromagnetic/metal to paramagnetic/insulator transition (T_C) except the Pb doped sample which is insulating and ferromagnetic (FM) in the entire temperature range. The magnetization and T_C are decreased by decreasing the cation size on La site. The transition temperature and magnetic moment at 77 K is a maximum for Sr doped sample and is decreasing if we increase or decrease the cation size from Sr size. The maximum value of T_C and magnetic moment for Sr based sample is most likely due to the closer ionic sizes of La and Sr as compared to the other dopants (Ca, Pb, and Ba). We observed a spin freezing type effect in the Pb doped sample below 120 K in resistivity, ac susceptibility and in magnetization. This suggests that the AFM interactions introduced by the Fe are most effective in the Pb doped composition leading to increased competition between the FM and AFM interactions. This FM and AFM interaction generates some degree of frustration leading to the appearance of spin glass like phase whose typical magnetic behavior is studied for small ion when the metallic like behavior is lost.     

Exchange bias in ferromagnet/antiferromagnet bilayers

Since the exchange bias （EB） effect was discovered in the Co/CoO core-shell nanoparticles, it has been extensively studied in various ferromagnet （FM）/antiferromagnet （AFM） bilayers due to its crucial role in spintronics devices. In this article, we review the investigation of the EB in our research group. First, we outline basic features of the EB, including the effects of the constituent layer thickness, the microstructure and magnetization of the FM layers, and we also discuss asymmetric magnetization reversal process in wedged-FM/AFM bilayers. Secondly, we discuss the mechanisms of the positive EB and the perpendicular EB. Thirdly, we demonstrate the hysteretic behavior of the angular dependence of the EB and analyze the EB training effect. Finally, we discuss the roles of the rotatable anisotropy in the two phenomena.     

Tailoring size effects on the exchange bias in ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic <100 nm nanostructures

The hysteresis loop shift in sub-100 nm ferromagnetic- (FM-)antiferromagnetic (AFM) nanostructures can be either enhanced or reduced with respect to continuous films with the same composition, with varying the AFM layer thickness. An enhancement of the coercivity and a reduction of the blocking temperature are also observed. These effects are mainly ascribed to the physical limitations that the dot sizes impose on the AFM domain size and the concomitant weakening of the pinning strength exerted by the AFM during magnetization reversal of the FM.