Experimental temperature dependence of the magnetization of surface layers of Fe at interfaces with nonmagnetic materials

Theoretical studies have investigated the temperature dependence of the magnetization at the surface of ferromagnets. For isotropic exchange uniform throughout the sample, the temperature dependence of the surface magnetization varies asM(T)/M(0)≈(1−BT ^3/2) with aB factor at least twice as great as the bulk value. For cases in which the exchange interaction is different in the surface layer, or in which there is a significant surface exchange anisotropy, a different temperature dependence may result. These theoretical results have seen little experimental test. We report here measurements made on epitaxial (110) Fe films in which different temperature dependences are found depending upon the interfacial material chosen as a covering layer.     

Magnetic anisotropy of epitaxial iron films on single-crystal MgO(001) and Al_2 O_3 (11\bar 20) substrates

The ferromagnetic resonance and magnetization of single-crystal thin (27–100 Å films grown in the (110) direction are measured in the temperature range 20–400 K. The films are prepared by molecular-beam epitaxy on single-crystal sapphire substrates with a Nb(110)buffer layer. The angular dependence of the parameters of the ferromagnetic resonance spectrum is observed to have a 180° character when the static magnetic field is rotated in the plane of the sample. It is established that this angular dependence can be described on the assumption that the lattice distortions are essentially trigonal. A comparative analysis of previous data for Fe(001) films with the data for Fe(110) films shows that the source of the corrections to the cubic anisotropy constant is the characteristic distribution of the strains along the thickness of the film. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 689–703 (February 1999)     

Angular dependence of the in-plane magnetization of (100) Cu/Ni/Cu structures

(100) Cu/Ni/Cu sandwich structures have been deposited on (100) Si using the (100) Cu epitaxially grown as the seed layer. The in-plane epitaxial relation between the metal films and Si allows the study of angular dependence of the magnetization for the field parallel to the film plane. Keeping the Cu layers at 1000 Å each and varying the Ni layers between 50 and 1000 Å, the magnetization along the [110] edge is larger than that along the [100] one. This is observed for both structures with a Ni thickness of 1000 and 500 Å, respectively. For the thinner Ni layers, the angular dependence is interfered by the reversal in magnetic anisotropy reported earlier. For such structures, a squared hysteresis loop is observed for the field perpendicular to the film plane, whereas one with little loop is observed for the in-plane magnetization. The angular dependence observed for the 1000 and 500 Å Ni films is the same as that of single crystal Ni. The (100) Cu/Ni/Cu films thus grown can be used for other magnetic measurements in the exploration of two-dimensional magnetism with controlled orientations.     

Size effects and magnetization of (Fe/Si)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript> multilayer film nanostructures

The temperature dependence of the magnetization of (Fe/Si) _n multilayer films with nanometer layers is investigated. The films are prepared through thermal evaporation under ultrahigh vacuum onto Si(100) and Si(111) single-crystal substrates. It is revealed that the thickness of individual iron layers in (Fe/Si) _n multilayer films affects the magnetization and its temperature dependence. The inference is made that this dependence is associated with the formation of a chemical interface at the Fe-Si boundaries. The characteristics of the chemical interface in the (Fe/Si) _n films are estimated.     

Effect of magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the temperature characteristics of magnetostatic waves in ferromagnetic films

The temperature dependence of the eigenfrequencies of magnetization oscillation in a single-crystal film is shown to depend strongly on the temperature dependence of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy field. The conditions are considered under which the temperature coefficient of the ferromagnetic resonance frequency in a film with cubic anisotropy changes sign as the orientation of the magnetization vector is changed from the 〈111〉 to the 〈100〉 direction. The spectrum of surface magnetostatic waves is investigated experimentally in 〈110〉-oriented yttrium iron garnet films. It is established that, due to magnetic anisotropy of the ferrite, the temperature dependence of the long-wavelength limit of the frequency spectrum becomes nonmonotonic when a film of this material is magnetized along the 〈100〉 axis.     

Change in the critical exponent of magnetization in maghemite in the temperature range of the structural phase transition

The magnetization of maghemite and magnetite thin films is measured as a function of the temperature and orientation of the film. It is established that the temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization deviates from the Bloch law at low temperatures and is adequately described by the linear function M/M _s = 2.2(1-T/T _C) below the Curie temperature T _C. The linear temperature dependence of the magnetization below the Curie temperature is explained by the change in the spin of iron ions in tetrahedral positions due to local deformations of the crystal lattice.     

Oxygen vacancy control of electrical,optical, and magnetic properties of Fe0.05Ti0.95O2 epitaxial films

High-quality Fe-doped TiO₂ films are epitaxially grown on MgF₂ substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The x-ray diffraction and Raman spectra prove that they are of pure rutile phase. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) further demonstrates that the epitaxial relationship between rutile-phased TiO₂ and MgF₂ substrates is 110 TiO₂₂. The room temperature ferromagnetism is detected by alternative gradient magnetometer. By increasing the ambient oxygen pressure, magnetization shows that it decreases monotonically while absorption edge shows a red shift. The transport property measurement demonstrates a strong correlation between magnetization and carrier concentration. The influence of ambient oxygen pressure on magnetization can be well explained by a modified bound magnetization polarization model.     

Magnetic properties of polycrystalline films of CoCr2O4 and CoFe0.5Cr1.5O4 multiferroics

This paper reports on the first study of the magnetic properties of polycrystalline films of CoCr₂O₄ and CoFe_0.5Cr_1.5O₄ multiferroics. The study covered, in particular, magnetization reversal curves and temperature dependences of the magnetization at temperatures ranging from 4.2 to 300 K in magnetic fields of up to 10 kOe. It has been shown that the Curie temperature and the pattern of the temperature dependence of the magnetization depend on the cation composition of the multiferroic. The temperature dependence of the magnetization of polycrystalline CoCr₂O₄ films has revealed an anomaly in the temperature range 10–70 K.     

MOCVD growth, structure and magnetic properties of Fe films grown on GaAs (001) substrates

Thin iron films have been grown on (001) GaAs substrates by low pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD) at different temperatures with the pressure of 150 Torr. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that all films have only one strong diffraction peak (110). The surface of Fe film became smooth with increasing the growth temperature. Magnetization measurements showed that the Fe films grown at different temperatures were ferromagnetic with easy axis parallel to the film surface and hard axis perpendicular to the substrates. The field dependence of magnetization along two axes showed a remarkable difference, implying that the samples have strong magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, when the applied magnetic field is perpendicular to the Fe surface, a sharp jump in the hysteresis loop could be observed, followed by a broad shoulder, which is related to the interface effect, the existence of carbon and the formation of 180^°/90^° magnetic domains.     

Noncollinear spin reorientation transition in S?=?1 ferromagnetic thin films

An in-plane spin reorientation transition in thin ferromagnetic films is discussed in terms of the thermodynamics of inhomogeneous low-dimensional systems based on a Néel sublattices concept while using a spin 1 Heisenberg Hamiltonian. The model allows us to investigate in a straightforward manner the layer-dependent phenomena. In this context, we propose a model of noncollinear magnetization structure based on the appropriate distribution of the anisotropy parameters inside the Fe films on W(110). The spin reorientation transition originates at the Fe/W(110) interface and proceeds via noncollinear magnetization structure toward the surface with increasing film thickness in accordance with the experimental findings. The temperature-driven spin reorientation transition in freestanding Fe films and in Fe/W(110) systems is also discussed in detail.     

Magnetic properties of thin epitaxial films investigated by spin-polarized photoemission

The surface sensitivity of the spin-polarized photoemission experiment was exploited to study two-dimensional magnetism. The magnetization of thin films of Fe, Co, and V in the monolayer (ML) range, grown on Cu(001) and Ag(001) single crystals, was measured as a function of perpendicularly applied field and temperature. Bcc Fe films and fcc Fe and Co films exhibit ferromagnetism down to the single monolayer range, while no evidence for ferromagnetism is found for V on Ag(001). All Co films are magnetized in plane and have a Curie temperature far above room temperature. A thickness dependence of the anisotropy and Curie temperature is observed for the two phases of Fe. Remanent magnetization perpendicular to the surface is found at 30 K for fcc Fe films thicker than 2 ML and for bcc Fe between 3 and 4 ML. The magnetic effects caused by coating and by interdiffusion are discussed in the light of measurements of Cu/Fe/Cu sandwiches and of overlayers obtained by simultaneous evaporation of Fe and Cu. The fcc Fe films are shown to be suitable for thermomagnetic writing.     

Influence of the surface morphology of single-crystal Si(111) substrates on the magnetic properties of epitaxial cobalt films

The epitaxial films Co(111)/Cu(111)-R30°/Si(111) have been grown on the atomically smooth and vicinal Si(111) surfaces. The roughnesses of the substrate and the cobalt film have been determined using scanning tunneling microscopy. The dependence of the coercive force has been investigated as a function of the azimuthal angle. The dependence of the magnetic anisotropy and the coercive force on the surface roughness has been determined. It has been shown that, in the epitaxial cobalt films deposited on the atomically smooth silicon surfaces, crystalline anisotropy of the 〈110〉 type leads to the isotropy of the magnetization reversal processes. The step-induced uniaxial anisotropy has been observed upon deposition on the vicinal surfaces. The films deposited on the atomically smooth surfaces have a complex domain structure.     

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.     

非晶态NdxT1-x(T=Fe,Co,Ni)薄膜的低温磁性

本文讨论了非晶态Nd_xT_1-x(T=Fe,Co,Ni)薄膜为滋结构,以及在低温下磁化强度随温度变化的反常特性,在20K附近观测到磁化强度有陡降现象,并且在较大的成份范围内所对应的温度基本不变,我们认为,在这类非晶态合金中,当Nd含量超过一定值后,其磁中性态(通称基态)可能同时是散反铁磁性和散铁磁性的共存态,在20K附近的磁化强度发生陡降,是散反铁磁性←→顺磁性相转变的反映,这两种磁结构共存的临界成份相应约为:Nd-Fe情况x≥0.45;Nd-Co,x≥0.20;Nd-Ni,x≥0.08。 关键词：     

Thickness and temperature dependence of subsidiary absorption thresholds in yttrium-iron-garnet thin films

The microwave subsidiary absorption threshold in tangentially magnetized yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) films was measured as a function of the static magnetic field, film thickness and decrease in the 0.3–3 μm range is observed. The effect is explained quantitatively by using modified Damon-Eshbach dispersion relations which take into account exchange interactions.

The effect of temperature on h_crit, the smallest threshold field amplitude, in the 250<T< 450 K temperature range can be expressed by an empirical relationship h_crit M_s(T)^-1.6 where M_s is the saturation magnetization. This h_crit vs M_s relationship is similar to that obtained for the magnetization dependence of parallel pump thresholds in Li-Ti ferrite compounds.     

Temperature-driven spin reorientation transitionof magnetron sputtered nickel thin film

The temperature-driven spin reorientation transition of magnetron sputtered Ni/Si （111） systems has been studied. The relationship between ac initial susceptibility and temperature of nickel films with different thicknesses shows that the magnetization orientation changes from in-plane to out-of-plane with the increase of temperature. The temperature dependence of mugnetoelastic, magneto-crystalline, and magnetostatic anisotropies determines the direction of the reorientation transition. The temperature-driven spin reorientation transition is supported by Hall coefficient measurements which show that its temperature dependence is similar to that of susceptibility.     

Spontaneous and Induced Magnetization Reversal in Thin GaMnSb Films

The time, temperature, and magnetic field dependences of the magnetic moment of thin GaMnSb films containing MnSb clusters are measured using a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometer. It is found that magnetic field-induced magnetization reversal and thermally activated spontaneous magnetization reversal in thin GaMnSb films are interrelated as follows: the maximum of the magnetic-field dependence of the magnetic viscosity coincides with the coercive force for the samples.     

Transition of magnetic anisotropy in Ni/GaAs (0 0 1) observed by magnetization and ferromagnetic resonance

Polycrystalline thin Ni films deposited onto GaAs (0 0 1) show a transition of the magnetic anisotropy depending on its thickness. The anisotropy is perpendicular to the film plane for the thicknesses of the film ⩽12 nm. This becomes in-plane in the films having thicknesses ⩾15 nm. The films are deposited onto the n-type GaAs (0 0 1) substrate by the usual thermal evaporation method and also by the electron beam evaporation in ultra high vacuum onto a GaAs epilayer in the standard molecular beam epitaxy system. The magnetization and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) are observed in the temperature range from 4.2 to 300 K. For the discussion of the microscopic origin of the anomalous properties in magnetization and FMR experiments, the experimental results are reviewed by introducing a uniaxial anisotropy, which is calculated from the easy-axis and hard-axis magnetization data. This calculated anisotropy is able to explain the temperature and angle dependency of the FMR spectra of the Ni films. Hence the magnetization and FMR spectra are in agreement with the type of the anisotropy and its temperature dependency. In addition to these, the temperature dependence of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy is able to explain the previously reported anomalous effect of reducing the squareness at low temperatures in Ni/GaAs.     

Thickness dependence of magnetization in FeNi invar alloy film

The thickness dependence of magnetization of FeNi Invar alloy films was observed by means of small angle Lorentz electron diffraction. A remarkable reduction of magnetization at room temperature was observed for films with thickness below 400 Å. This may be ascribable to the instability of the ferromagnetic state in Fe-Ni Invar alloys.     

Structure and magnetic properties of Fe/Cu multilayered films

Mutually insoluble Fe/Cu multilayered films prepared by a dc-magnetron sputtering system with a rotating substrate-holder have been studied. The periodicity of the multilayers was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The results of magnetization measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy at 300 and 77 K show that the samples with the Fe layer thinner than 9 Å exhibit superparamagnetism. The temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization follows Bloch's law for all samples, with the spin-wave temperature coefficient B inversely proportional to the thickness of the Fe layer. The results of torque measurements show that the magnetization is normal to the film plane for the samples with the Fe layer thinner than 6 Å.