Magnetic anisotropy and anisotropic ballistic conductance of thin magnetic wires

The magnetocrystalline anisotropy of thin magnetic wires of iron and cobalt is quite different from the bulk phases. The spin moment of monatomic Fe wire may be as high as 3.4 μ_B, while the orbital moment as high as 0.5 μ_B. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE) was calculated for wires up to 0.6 nm in diameter starting from monatomic wire and adding consecutive shells for thicker wires. I observe that Fe wires exhibit the change sign with the stress applied along the wire. It means that easy axis may change from the direction along the wire to perpendicular to the wire. We find that ballistic conductance of the wire depends on the direction of the applied magnetic field, i.e. shows anisotropic ballistic magnetoresistance. This effect occurs due to the symmetry dependence of the splitting of degenerate bands in the applied field which changes the number of bands crossing the Fermi level. We find that the ballistic conductance changes with applied stress. Even for thicker wires the ballistic conductance changes by factor 2 on moderate tensile stain in our 5×4 model wire. Thus, the ballistic conductance of magnetic wires changes in the applied field due to the magnetostriction. This effect can be observed as large anisotropic BMR in the experiment.     

Magnetic-field-induced localization in networks with the T3 geometry

By following an exact analytical procedure we study the transmission properties of a network of quantum wires arranged in a so-called T₃ configuration and in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field. It is shown that proper use of a single unit cell is sufficient to demonstrate a recently discovered localization phenomenon for all wavelengths and for special values of the external field. This Aharonov–Bohm localization is shown to be independent of a vertex coupling that appears as a free parameter in the probability flux conservation.     

Effect of magnetic field annealing on microstructure and magnetic properties of FePt films

FePt (20 nm) films were annealed in a magnetic field (along the normal direction of the films) at a temperature around the Curie temperature of L1₀ FePt. The influence of magnetic filed annealing on texture and magnetic properties of FePt films were investigated. The results indicate that preferential (0 0 1) orientation and perpendicular anisotropy can be obtained in L1₀ FePt films by using magnetic field annealing around the Curie temperature of L1₀ FePt. This is one of the potential methods to obtain (0 0 1) orientation and thus to improve the perpendicular anisotropy in FePt films.     

Anomalous asymmetry of magnetoresistance in NbSe3 single crystals

A pronounced asymmetry of magnetoresistance with respect to the magnetic field direction is observed for NbSe₃ crystals placed in a magnetic field perpendicular to their conducting planes. It is shown that the effect persists in a wide temperature range and manifests itself starting from a certain magnetic induction value B ₀, which at T = 4.2 K corresponds to the transition to the quantum limit, i.e., to the state where the Landau level splitting exceeds the temperature.     

Some superconducting properties of 25%Nb–75%Zr alloy

The manner of preparation of superconducting 25% wt Nb–75% wt Zr wires is described. Short samples of these wires were measured in static magnetic fields up to 80·5 kG and the authors describe the method of these measurements. The paper gives the results of measuring the critical current density dependence on the external perpendicular magnetic field for both cold-worked wires with different deformations and heat-treated wires. The dependence of the critical current density on the heat treatment temperature after wire deformation for different magnetic fields was obtained. The optimum heat treatment temperature (vacuum better than 10^–3 torr, 1 hour) is 450–600C for magnetic fields 0–80·5 kG. The values ofi _c of these wires in magnetic fields up to 60 kG are the same or higher than those of 75% Nb-25% Zr wires, and in fields above 60 kG they are much higher.     

Surface-induced structural modification in ZnO nanoparticles

Cobalt?Ccobalt carbide [Co _x C (x?=?2 or 3)] and cobalt (FCC-Co) microwires have been synthesized using a polyol method in the presence of a high external magnetic field of 4.3?kOe. It was reported before that the synthesis of these particles in the absence of magnetic field leads to the formation of spherical particles. Analysis of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) scans indicates that the synthesized Co _x C wires consist of four phases?? ??-Co, ??-Co, Co₃C, and Co₂C. The percent composition of these phases was 53.3?% Co₃C, 26.8?% Co₂C, 12.5?% ??-Co, and 7.4?% ??-Co. XRD analysis of the as-synthesized cobalt wires shows that it consists of single-phase FCC-Co. Based on Scherrer analysis of the XRD data, the average crystallite sizes of the cobalt carbide and the cobalt particles are 18.5 and 16.3?nm, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies show that the diameter of Co _x C wires is in the range of 1.6(±0.2)???m with their length varying between 18 and 30???m while the diameter of the cobalt wires is 1.65(±0.1). The SEM results infer that the morphology of the growing particles was controlled by the magnetic field with the applied field directs the growth of the particles into wires. The magnetic measurements indicate a superparamagnetic character of the cobalt wires and a soft ferromagnetic nature of the synthesized Co _x C chains. The degree and field range of the interactions between magnetic domains have been investigated using a Henkel plot.     

Effect of annealing in an external magnetic field on the microstructure and magnetic properties of the Fe/FePt/Pt multilayer system

The effect of annealing in an external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the plane of the film on the kinetics of Ll ₀ phase transformation of the microstructure and the magnetic properties of the Fe(2 nm)/FePt(20 nm)/Pt(2 nm) multilayer system has been investigated. The relations between the hysteresis loop shape, magnetic correlation length, and structural disorders, which are characteristic of magnetic information carriers, have been analyzed. It has been found that the annealing of the Fe(2 nm)/FePt(20 nm)/Pt(2 nm) multilayer system at a temperature of 470°C in an external magnetic field of 3500 Oe, which is applied perpendicular to the film plane, leads to the formation of a face-centered tetragonal structure of the Ll ₀ phase in the FePt film, which is characterized by the high coercivity H _c , the (001) preferred texture, the magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the film plane, small sizes of FePt grains in the film, and weak exchange coupling between the particles. The energy of the external magnetic field encourages the process of transformation of the FePt film into the Ll ₀ phase. Thus, a method has been developed for fabricating multilayer films based on the FePt Ll ₀ phase with the parameters necessary for information carrier materials with perpendicular-type magnetic recording.     

Magnetic properties of lithographically defined lateral Co/Ni80Fe20 wires

A novel micro-fabrication technique has been used to create an array of lateral magnetic multilayers consisting of micron-sized sputtered Co and Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ wires. The structures were fabricated using conventional optical lithography and a combination of hard and soft lift-off methods. For the field applied parallel to the wires intrinsic easy axis, we observed two switching fields corresponding to the distinct coercive field of the Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ wires (H_c1) and Co wires (H_c2) constituting the lateral multilayer wire array. A state of anti-parallel relative alignment of magnetization was observed when the applied field is greater than the switching field of Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ wires but less than the switching field of Co wires. We found the region of anti-parallel alignment of magnetization between the Co and Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ wires to be very sensitive to the relative orientation of the applied magnetic field.     

Magnetic properties of V5S8 single crystals

The magnetic properties of V₅S₈ single crystals have been investigated by susceptibility and torque measurements. The susceptibilities parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic easy axis show a remarkable anisotropy below the Neel temperature of 32 K and are nearly Isotropie above that temperature. The easy axis is found to be nearly along the c-axis of the monoclinic lattice, being inclined at an angle of 9.6 ± 1.0° from the c-axis toward the a-axis. The torque curves, measured up to 24.4 kOe at liquid helium temperature, deviate from the usual form of a sine function with increasing magnetic field. The analysis of these torque curves suggests that spin flopping may occur at 43 kOe, a comparatively low critical field. Using these experimental results, a localized d-electron model for a particular site of the vanadium-ion, proposed by previous investigators, is examined.     

Clear experimental evidence for boundary and impurity scattering related crossover field scales in GaAs/AlGaAs split-gate wires

We study the magnetic field dependence of the correlation field ΔB_cand amplitude δgof the conductance fluctuations, observed in the low temperature magnetoresistance of GaAs/AlGaAs split-gate wires. Near zero field, universality of quantum interference is retained and the magnetoresistance shows universal conductance fluctuations. At high magnetic fields, although the discrete Landau level quantization becomes resolved. ΔB_cand δgare found to increase linearly with magnetic field, with a slope which depends upon the nature of electron scatterings in the wire.     

Magnetic measurements of Fe-Ni-Nb-B and Fe-Co-Mo-Cu-B in the vicinity of the Curie temperature

The study of the transition between ferromagnetic and paramagnetic states has been investigated on selected metallic glass systems based on Fe-Ni-Nb-B and Fe-Co-Mo-Cu-B with T_C close to room temperature. Samples in the form of ribbons were prepared by planar flow casting and magnetostriction in parallel and perpendicular directions and saturation magnetostrictions have been determined on these samples in as-cast states together with hysteresis loops. In addition, a magneto-optic device for dynamic domain observation has been used for observation of domain structure. Magnetostriction measurements using direct method of measurement show the decrease of saturation magnetostriction towards zero upon approaching T_C. In paramagnetic state the field dependencies of magnetostriction in parallel and perpendicular configurations exhibit a linear dependence on the external magnetic field. In the transition region of temperatures the dependencies are a combination of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic field dependencies. The coercivity H_C in the materials investigated exhibits values below 20 A/m. The observed magnetic domains are typical for this class of amorphous alloys. The polarization in paramagnetic state increases gradually with increase in magnetizing field, reflecting the increasing amount of polarized regions.     

Electrical conduction and critical magnetic field for superconductivity of a Nb3Se4 single crystal

With respect to the quasi-one dimensionality of single crystals of Nb₃Se₄, the electrical resistivity from 1.3 to 320 K and the critical magnetic field for superconductivity are measured. The resistivity along the Nb-chain direction is represented as a sum of a temperature independent and an intrinsic temperature dependent term. The temperature dependence of the intrinsic resistivity subjects to T³ form between 10 and 80 K above which it tends to a T linear form. The critical magnetic field is proportional to the temperature difference from the transition temperature. Its dependence is well fitted by the elliptical fluxoid model of Ginzburg-Landau theory. The ratio of the parallel and the perpendicular to the c-axis is 5.7.     

Magnetic induction heating of FeCr nanocrystalline alloys

In this work the thermal effects of magnetic induction heating in (FeCr)_73.5Si_13.5Cu₁B₉Nb₃ amorphous and nanocrystalline wires were analyzed. A single piece of wire was immersed in a glass capillary filled with water and subjected to an ac magnetic field (frequency, 320 kHz). The initial temperature rise enabled the determination of the effective Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). Maximum SAR values are achieved for those samples displaying high magnetic susceptibility, where the eddy current losses dominate the induction heating behavior. Moreover, the amorphous sample with Curie temperature around room temperature displays characteristic features of self-regulated hyperthermia.     

Magnetic structure of FeI2 by neutron diffraction experiments

Phase transitions study of FeI₂ in high magnetic field parallel to the anisotropy axis has proved that FeI₂ has an antiferromagnetic structure (below T_N = 9.3 K) more complex than the two sublattices structure characteristic of FeCl₂ and FeBr₂.We performed neutron diffraction experiments, at room temperature and at 4.2 K using a powder sample. The results show that FeI₂ has an antiferromagnetic structure similar to the structure proposed by Keohler for MnBr₂, but with spins oriented along the crystal anisotropy axis perpendicular to the Fe⁺⁺ layers. This spin orientation is in accordance with the results of parallel and perpendicular susceptibilities study.     

Phase Transitions of Fel2 in high magnetic field parallel to the spin direction,static field up to 150 kOe,pulsed field up to 250 kOe

Study of parallel and perpendicular susceptibilities shows that ferrous iodide presents at low temperature an antiferromagnetic order, with spins oriented along the anisotropy axis (c axis).Phase transitions of Fel₂ in a magnetic field parallel to c axis are studied by help of magnetization measurements. At low temperature (2.2 K) saturation is reached only for a magnetic field of 140 kOe. Results obtained in high static fields (Bitter and supraconductive coils allowing respectively 140 and 150 kOe) and in pulsed field are presented.At low temperature, two successive first order phase transitions are observed at 46 and 120 kOe. In the intermediate phase, the magnetization presents two minor discontinuities. An original phase diagram is given.The complexity of the Fel₂ behavior, in parallel magnetic field shows that the magnetic structure is not the same as the two sublattices one characteristic of FeCl₂ and FeBr₂. An estimate of the principal exchange coupling parameters and a study by neutron diffraction measurements (to be published) confirm an original magnetic structure.     

Magnetic barrier in a two-dimensional hole gas

Transport properties of a magnetic barrier in a Ga_xAl_1−xAs based two-dimensional hole gas are reported. A ferromagnetic cobalt film, separated by an AlO_x layer from the semiconductor in order to prevent leakage currents, is magnetized in-plane, such that the fringe field generates a localized perpendicular magnetic field acting as a magnetic barrier. The resistance as a function of the in-plane magnetic field shows a characteristic minimum at the coercive field of the ferromagnetic film. Semiclassical simulations based on the Landauer–Büttiker formalism show good agreement with the experiment.     

Characteristic fields of a Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy crystal

The field dependences of the transverse resistance of a Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_y (BSCCO) layered superconducting single crystal with T _c0≥92 K are studied in a perpendicular (H⊥(ab)) pulsed magnetic field up to 50 T in a wide temperature range, 4.2–300 K. The temperature dependences of the characteristic fields identified with the “irreversibility curve” and the field corresponding to the nucleation of the superconducting phase are determined. The results obtained for the latter field are compared with the theoretical dependences.     

Magnetic-field dependent phonon states in paramagnetic CeF3

Raman scattering experiments in paramagnetic uniaxial CeF₃ at helium temperature demonstrate a splitting of some degenerate (E_g)-phonon states in an external magnetic field parallel to the crystal axis. A linear splitting is observed in low fields, followed by a field independent (saturation) splitting in high fields. In addition, changes in the Raman scattering efficiencies and a reduction of the line width of phonon transitions are observed with increasing magnetic fields. No such effects are observed for magnetic fields perpendicular to the crystal axis. The splittings of degenerate phonon modes are related to the paramagnetic saturation 〈S_z〉.     

Thermodynamic and magnetic properties of HoRh2Si2: A comparison between experiments and calculations in a crystal field model

The origin of two peaks observed in the magnetization and the heat capacity curves of HoRh₂Si₂ is investigated. The thermodynamic and the magnetic properties of this compound are calculated using a Hamiltonian including crystal field and isotropic exchange interaction terms which are comparable in magnitude. Two components (parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis) of the magnetization are evaluated by the molecular field approximation. The two peaks in the magnetization and the heat capacity can be reproduced by choosing appropriate values for crystal field parameters and molecular field constant. The lower transition temperature corresponds to the temperature at which the perpendicular component of the magnetization disappears, and the higher one, to that at which the parallel component of the magnetization disappears.     

The role of short exchange length in the magnetization processes of L10-ordered FePt perpendicular media

A three-dimensional micromagnetic model with non-uniform grain size distribution has been built up to study the magnetization process in FePt L1₀ perpendicular media. A 3D model of a single FePt magnetic grain is also set up for comparison. The high magneto-crystalline anisotropy K_u results in a short exchange length l_ex in FePt nanograins. Therefore a magnetic grain is divided into smaller grids on the order of l_ex. The simulated perpendicular and longitudinal loops are consistent with experiments, and it is explained why the measured perpendicular H_c is relatively smaller compared with the saturation field of the longitudinal loop in the FePt perpendicular medium.