Twin-microstructure enhanced magnetoresistance in La0.67Ba0.33MnO3 oxides

The grain growth dependence of microstructure and its effects on magnetic and transport properties are studied in the polycrystalline La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ oxides. It is found that a lateral growth manner along a certain direction and a concentric terrace pattern along three orthogonal axes occur in the samples sintered at 1573 and 1673 K, respectively. Lamella-like twin microstructure forms in the concentric terrace growth pattern and the magnetoresistance properties can be enhanced by the twin microstructure. It suggests that the twin-boundaries in twin-grains may possibly induce spin-dependent scattering of electrons that is field reduced, or spin-polarized tunneling of electrons that is field enhanced, thus strengthening the effect of grain boundaries.     

Phase Diagram of Antiferromagnetically Exchange-Coupled Bilayer

Magnetic hysteresis properties of antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled bilayer structures, in which the two magnetic layers have different magnetic parameters and thicknesses, are studied within the framework of the Stoner-Wohlfarth model. Analytical expressions for the switching fields corresponding to the linear magnetic states are obtained. By adjusting the magnetic parameters or thicknesses of layers, nine different types of easy-axis hysteresis loops may exist. The phase diagram of easy-axis hysteresis loops is mapped in the k1 and k2 plane, where k1 and k2 are the ratios of magnetic anisotropy to the interlayer exchange coupling of the two magnetic layers, respectively.     

Novel Bilayer Structures for Short Wavelength High Density Magneto-Optical Data Storage

We report a novel bi-layer thin film structure for high density magneto-optical (MO) data storage, which combines the advantages of blue wavelength and magnetically induced superresolution (MSR) recording. A double-layer system of exchange-coupled light rare-earth (LRE) element doped NdGdFeCo and traditional TbFeCo is used as the recording medium. The experimental results demonstrate that this NdGdFeCo/TbFeCo double layer has large Kerr rotation under blue wavelength. Centre aperture detection (CAD) MSR effect with temperature rising is also observed. Theoretical calculation is also carried out to verify the experimental results. These results collectively suggest that the new bilayer structure is very promising in next generation high density MO data storage.     

Temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization of ion-implanted YIG films

The temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization of a series of ionimplanted YIG films is presented. The films were implanted with neon ions at an energy of 450 keV; the dose ranged from 2 to 5*10¹⁴ ions/cm². The experimental data can be described by the molecular field theory showing that the ion-implanted part of the film can be approximated as consisting of two regions each having their own magnetization and Curie temperature. The values of these magnetic parameters vary as a function of dose and differ strongly from the values for pure YIG.     

Magnetic domain structures and magnetotransport properties in Co-Ag granular thin films

The magnetic microstructures and magnetotransport properties in granular Co_xAg_1-x films with 17%≤x≤62% were studied. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) observations showed the presence of magnetic stripe domains in as-deposited samples with x≥45% and the evolution of the magnetic domain patterns to in-plane domains with annealing. A perpendicular magnetic anisotropy as high as about 8×10⁵ ergs/cc for as-deposited Co₆₂Ag₃₈ and about 6×10⁵ ergs/cc for as-deposited Co₄₅Ag₅₅ was observed by magnetization and torque measurements. With increasing annealing temperature, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy became negative. The origin of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy may be attributed to a rhombohedral distortion of the cubic cell due to residual substrate-film stresses. The magnetic stripe domains are the consequence of the interplay of the indirect or direct exchange, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and dipolar interactions. Finally, magnetoresistance (MR) curves displayed training behaviours and different shapes when measured with different configurations (parallel, transverse and perpendicular). It is proposed that the existence and the evolution of the magnetic domain structures strongly affect the magnetotransport properties due to the extra contribution of the electron scattering at the domain walls. Furthermore, an anisotropic MR also contributes to the overall MR curves. Received: 2 March 2000 / Accepted: 28 March 2000 / Published online: 23 May 2001     

The role of the dopant in the magnetism of Fe-doped SnO2 films

Transparent pure and Fe-doped SnO₂ thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition technique on LaAlO₃ substrates. X-ray diffraction shows that the films are polycrystalline and have the rutile structure. Surprisingly, the pure film presents magnetic-like behavior at room temperature with a saturated magnetization of almost one-third of the doped film (∼3.6 and 11.3 emu/g, respectively) and its magnetization could not be attributed to any impurity phase. Taking into account the magnetic moment measured in the pure film, the effective contribution of the impurity in the doped one can be inferred to be ∼2 μ_B per Fe atom. A large magnetic moment was also predicted by an ab initio calculation in the doped system, which increases if an oxygen vacancy is present near the Fe impurity.     

Influence of surface roughness and chemisorption on magnetic hysteresis curves of a Ni(110) surface observed by spin-resolved inverse photoemission

Using the high spin asymmetry in inverse photoemission of the Ni d-band just above the Fermi level as an indicator of surface magnetization, we have measured hysteresis curves of the (110) surface of nickel. Nearly rectangular hysteresis loops indicate a well-defined behavior of the surface magnetization of the picture-frame single crystal with sides along 110 directions. The influence of geometrical order and chemisorption of O, S, and CO on the shape of the hysteresis loops has been investigated. We found a significant reduction of the coercive force (about 10%) if the clean high-quality (110) surface is disordered on an atomic scale by ion bombardment or low-coverage chemisorption.     

Micromagnetic studies on magnetic spectra of submicron ferromagnetic particles with different aspect ratio

Two resonance modes occur when the magnetic spectra of rectangular ferromagnetic particles with different aspect ratio are studied using micromagnetic simulation. The intensity of the higher mode is stronger when the particles have the aspect ratio larger than 1.6. When the aspect ratio reduces to 1.6, only one strong resonance peak remains with some tiny satellite peaks appeared. These behaviors are attributed to the competition between the exchange interaction and dipolar coupling, which has different result in the edge and middle part, respectively.     

Hysteresis of two interacting magnetic pairs with inequivalent perpendicular anisotropy

We consider a model for magnetic memory that consists of strongly coupled dipolar or antiferromagnetic (AF) pairs with inequivalent perpendicular anisotropy _K1$K_1$ and _K2$K_2$. For appropriate parameter values, determined in this work, they have two inequivalent storage states with zero net magnetic moment. Both analytical and numerical calculations are performed, in some cases yielding different results because of relaxation effects (i.e., a dependence on the damping parameter α$\alpha$). Hysteresis loops for a wide variety of parameter values are obtained, both for the AF case and the dipole case. An Appendix gives analytic results for slightly non-collinear spins in an applied field, which were used to test the numerical results.     

Out-of-Plane Torque Influence on Magnetization Switching and Susceptibility in Magnetic Multilayers

Based on both the spin diffusion equation and the Landau-LlTshitz-Gilbert （LLG） equation, we demonstrate the influence of out-of-plane spin torque on magnetization switching and susceptibility in a magnetic multilayer system. The variation of spin accumulation and local magnetization with respect to time are studied in the magnetization reversal induced by spin torque. We also research the susceptibility subject to a microwave magnetic field, which is compared with the results obtained without out-of-plane torque.     

The structure and magnetotransport properties of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3/Ba(La)TiO3 composites

The effect of Ba(La)TiO₃ doping on the structure and magnetotransport properties of La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃(LSMO)/xBa(La)TiO₃ (x=0.0, 1.0, 5.0 mol%) have been investigated. The X-ray diffraction patterns and microstructural analysis show that BaTiO₃ and LSMO phases exist independently in BaTiO₃-doped composites. The metal-insulator transition temperature (T_MI) decreases whereas the maximum resistivity increases very quickly by the increase of BaTiO₃ doping level. The partial substitution of Ba by La(0.35 mol%) results in a decrease in resistivity of LSMO/xBa(La)TiO₃ composites. Magnetoresistance of BaTiO₃-doped composites decreases monotonously in the temperature range 200-400 K in a magnetic field of 5 T, which is completely different from that of LSMO compound. The value of MR decreases at low field (H<1 T) and increases at high fields (H>1 T) with increasing the BaTiO₃ doping level at low temperatures below 280 K. These investigations reveal that the magnetotransport properties of LSMO/xBa(La)TiO₃ composites are dominated by spin-dependent scattering and tunneling effect at the LSMO/BaTiO₃/LSMO magnetic tunnel junction.     

Band-edge exciton transitions in (Ga1−xMnx)N diluted magnetic semiconductor films with above room temperature ferromagnetic transition

(Ga_1−xMn_x)N thin films grown on GaN buffer layers by using molecular beam epitaxy were investigated with the goal of producing diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) with band-edge exciton transitions for applications in optomagnetic devices. The magnetization curve as a function of the magnetic field at 5 K indicated that ferromagnetism existed in the (Ga_1−xMn_x)N thin films, and the magnetization curve as a function of the temperature showed that the ferromagnetic transition temperature of the (Ga_1−xMn_x)N thin film was above room temperature. Photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectra showed that band-edge exciton transitions in (Ga_1−xMn_x)N thin films appeared. These results indicate that the (Ga_1−xMn_x)N DMSs with a magnetic single phase hold promise for potential applications in spin optoelectronic devices in the blue region of the spectrum.     

Magnetic and structural study of Cu-doped TiO2 thin films

Transparent pure and Cu-doped (2.5, 5 and 10 at.%) anatase TiO₂ thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition technique on LaAlO₃ substrates. The samples were structurally characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties were measured using a SQUID. All films have a FM-like behaviour. In the case of the Cu-doped samples, the magnetic cycles are almost independent of the Cu concentration. Cu atoms are forming CuO and/or substituting Ti in TiO₂. The thermal treatment in air promotes the CuO segregation. Since CuO is antiferromagnetic, the magnetic signals present in the films could be assigned to Cu substitutionally replacing cations in TiO₂.