Surface distortions of the magnetic structure of a uniaxial antiferromagnet: The “magnetic field-roughness” phase diagram

Magnetic-structure distortions induced by an external magnetic field near a rough surface of a uniaxial collinear antiferromagnet are analyzed using mathematical modeling. The “magnetic field-roughness” phase diagram of these distortions is constructed. It is demonstrated that, under specific conditions, the presence of atomic steps leads to the formation of domains in the surface layer of the antiferromagnet. In the case of a strong roughness, there arise static vortices at the surface and a 90° domain wall aligned parallel to the surface of the antiferromagnet.     

Magnetic resonance of the RbMnBr<Subscript>3</Subscript> antiferromagnet under pressure

The antiferromagnetic resonance spectrum was experimentally studied for a noncollinear RbMnBr₃ antiferromagnet under a mechanical pressure applied to the sample in various directions. It is shown that the incommensurate magnetic phase existing in the initial system in the presence of regular crystallographic distortions is sensitive to the pressure applied along one of the sample axes. The critical transition field to the commensurate phase decreased under pressure. It was also found that the pressure influences the uniaxial anisotropy appearing in the crystal basal plane in the presence of orthorhombic distortions. These effects were analyzed with allowance for the domain structure of the sample.     

Distortions of the magnetic structure of a thin antiferromagnetic layer in magnetic field

Distortions induced by an external magnetic field in the magnetic structure of a thin layer of a uniaxial collinear antiferromagnet with rough surfaces are studied using computer simulation. It is shown that, under certain conditions, the presence of atomic steps at the layer surfaces causes the antiferromagnetic layer to break up into domains. The character and magnitude of distortions are found for an arbitrary ratio of the distance between atomic steps to the order parameter correlation length. Original Russian Text ? A.I. Morosov, I.A. Morosov, A.S. Sigov, 2007, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2007, Vol. 49, No. 7, pp. 1228–1235.     

Uncompensated moments in the MnPd/Fe exchange bias system

The element-specific magnetic structure of an epitaxially grown Mn_52Pd_48/Fe bilayer showing exchange bias was investigated with atomic-layer depth sensitivity at the antiferromagnet/ferromagnet interface by soft-x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and magnetic reflectivity. A complex magnetic interfacial configuration, consisting of a 2-monolayer-thick induced ferromagnetic region, and pinned uncompensated Mn moments that reach far deeper (approximately 13 A), both in the antiferromagnet, were found. For the latter, a direct relationship with the magnitude of the exchange bias is verified by similar measurements perpendicular to the field cooling direction.     

A new class of anisotropic nonexchange spin waves

It is shown, using a thin magnetic film of a tetragonal antiferromagnet as an example, that indirect spin-spin exchange via the long-range field of quasi-static magnetoelastic deformations with allowance for the magnetocrystalline anisotropy results in qualitatively new types of nonexchange propagating spin waves, both surface and bulk. The case of an isolated magnetic film and a magnetic film with a one-sided or two-sided coating is studied.     

Surface spin-wave electrodynamics of an easy-axis antiferromagnet in an external electric field

The conditions are found under which quadratic magneto-optic interaction causes the formation of virtual surface magnetic TM and TE polaritons propagating along the interface between an antiferromagnet (AFM) and an ideal metal or between an AFM and an insulator in an external static electric field directed along the easy axis of the AFM. The specific features of the reflection of a bulk electromagnetic wave incident from vacuum onto the AFM surface are studied under these conditions.     

New mechanism of formation of virtual surface magnetic polaritons

By using an easy-axis antiferromagnetic material as an example, the conditions are found under the fulfillment of which, the quadratic magneto-optical interaction in an external dc electric field perpendicular to the easy axis gives rise to the formation of a new type of virtual surface magnetic TM polaritons at the interface both between an antiferromagnet and an ideal metal and between an antiferromagnet and vacuum.     

Kapitza problem for the magnetic moments of synthetic antiferromagnetic systems

The dynamics of magnetization in synthetic antiferromagnetic systems with the magnetic dipole coupling in a rapidly oscillating field has been examined. It has been revealed that the system can behave similar to the Kapitza pendulum. It has been shown that an alternating magnetic field can be efficiently used to control the magnetic state of a cell of a synthetic antiferromagnet. Analytical relations have been obtained between the parameters of such an antiferromagnet and an external magnetic field at which certain quasistationary states are implemented.     

Reflection and refraction of acoustic waves at the boundary between a magnetoacoustic material and a dielectric

Reflection and refraction of longitudinal and transverse acoustic waves at a plane boundary between an antiferromagnet and a dielectric are studied. The antiferromagnet is assumed to have an easy-plane anisotropy and to be in the state near the orientational phase transition in the magnetic field. A possibility of controlling the angles of the wave-type transformation upon reflection and the refraction angles, as well as all four coefficients of the wave transformation upon reflection and refraction, by the magnetic field is demonstrated. Conditions for the formation of the critical angles of internal reflection and the effect of the magnetic field on their values are specified. A possibility of the radiation of a grazing wave into the material bulk in the vicinity of the phase transition is analyzed.     

Bulk spin-wave electrodynamics of an antiferromagnetic plate in a constant external electric field

Using the example of a plate of an easy-axis centrosymmetric antiferromagnet, the conditions are determined under which an external constant electric field qualitatively changes not only the character of refraction of a bulk TM wave incident from vacuum onto the antiferromagnet surface but also the structure of the spectrum of propagating bulk magnons. The relation of the discovered effects to the shape of the refraction surface of TM polaritons is studied.     

Universal alternating order around impurities in antiferromagnets

The study of impurities in antiferromagnets is of considerable interest in condensed matter physics. In this Letter we address the elementary question of the effect of vacancies on the orientation of the surrounding magnetic moments in an antiferromagnet. In the presence of a magnetic field, alternating magnetic moments are induced, which can be described by a universal expression that is valid in any ordered antiferromagnet and turns out to be independent of temperature over a large range. The universality is not destroyed by quantum fluctuations, which is demonstrated by quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet. Physical predictions for finite doping are made, which are relevant for experiments probing Knight shifts and the order parameter.     

Effect of the magnetic field on the critical temperature of the itinerant-electron antiferromagnet

The external magnetic field dependence of the critical temperature of the itinerant-electron antiferromagnet is studied. A possible increasing of the critical temperature is pointed out if some conditions are satisfied.     

Surface distortions in a weak ferromagnet

The effect of the surface on the sublattice canting of a two-sublattice antiferromagnet due to the Dzyaloshinskii-Moria interaction has been studied. It has been shown that the canting angle near the surface differs from the bulk value. The dependence of the canting angle on the distance to the surface and the additional surface magnetic moment have been calculated. The compensated and uncompensated antiferromagnet surfaces have been considered.     

Creation of an antiferromagnetic exchange spring

We present evidence for the creation of an exchange spring in an antiferromagnet due to exchange coupling to a ferromagnet. X-ray magnetic linear dichroism spectroscopy on single crystal Co/NiO(001) shows that a partial domain wall is wound up at the surface of the antiferromagnet when the adjacent ferromagnet is rotated by a magnetic field. We determine the interface exchange stiffness and the antiferromagnetic domain wall energy from the field dependence of the direction of the antiferromagnetic axis, the antiferromagnetic pendant to a ferromagnetic hysteresis loop. The existence of a planar antiferromagnetic domain wall, proven by our measurement, is a key assumption of most exchange bias models.     

Two-dimensional quantum antiferromagnet in a strong magnetic field

The behaviour of the two-dimensional quantum antiferromagnet of arbitrary spin in a strong transversal magnetic field on a square lattice is studied in terms of the equivalent Bose gas problem. The existence of phase transition from the state characterized by “quasi-long-range” magnetic order to the disordered ferromagnetic state is demonstrated. The expressions for correlation functions, thermodynamical and magnetic characteristics are derived.     

Effect of current on magnetization oscillations in the ferromagnet-antiferromagnet junction

The effect of spin-polarized current on the steady-state magnetization and oscillations of antiferromagnet magnetization in a ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic magnetic junction is analyzed. The macrospin approximation is generalized to describe antiferromagnets. The canted configuration of the antiferromagnet and the resultant magnetic moment are produced by the application of an external magnetic field. The resonance frequency, damping, and threshold current density corresponding to the emergence of instability are calculated. The possibility of generating weakly damped magnetization oscillations in the terahertz range is demonstrated. The effect of fluctuations on the canted configuration of the antiferromagnet is discussed.     

Temperature and external field-driven microrelief at free surface of smectic-A liquid crystal

A homeotropically oriented smectic-A film on a solid substrate with periodical microrelief is considered. Periodical distortions of the free surface of the film induced by this microrelief are theoretically investigated. The dependence of these distortions on the film thickness, the temperature, and external magnetic (electric) field is obtained. It is shown that, for a certain choice of the shape of the substrate surface microrelief, one can realize a temperature and external magnetic (electric) field control on the microrelief at the free surface of the smectic-A film.     

两种非线性反铁磁晶体交界面上磁表面波的传播特性

研究了两非线性单轴反铁磁晶体交界面上表面波的传播特性.理论分析和数值模拟表明:入射电磁波只有同时满足频率阈值和功率阈值条件才能在该非线性波导系统中形成稳定传播的表面波.随着传输功率的不断提高,磁场峰值将由一非线性晶体中跃入另一非线性晶体中,并逐渐靠近交界面.表面波动率变化不会对交界面处的磁场振幅产生影响,频率是影响其振幅大小的唯一因素. 关键词： 反铁磁晶体 非线性表面波     

Structure and stationary dynamics of the interphase boundary in an La2CuO4 antiferromagnet

The structure of an interphase boundary is studied theoretically. The external magnetic field normal to the Cu-O layers at which an interphase boundary is formed in the La₂CuO₄-type four-sublattice antiferromagnet is determined. The effect of interplanar interactions on the structure of the interphase boundary is analyzed. The dependence of the stationary dynamics of this boundary on the external magnetic field is investigated.     

Field-induced transitions in a kagomé antiferromagnet

The thermal order by disorder effect in magnetic field is studied for a classical Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the Kagomé lattice. Using analytical arguments we predict a unique H- T phase diagram for this strongly frustrated magnet: states with a coplanar and a uniaxial triatic order parameter, respectively, at low and high magnetic fields and an incompressible collinear spin-liquid state at one-third of the saturation field. We also present the Monte Carlo data which confirm the existence of these phases.