Critical behaviour of the local magnetic susceptibility in a ferromagnetic film

The nearest-neighbour Ising model of a ferromagnetic film in which couplings between surface spins may differ from couplings between remaining spins is considered. Using the mean-field approximation, the local magnetic susceptibility defined as the derivative of the local magnetization with respect to the external uniform magnetic field is obtained. The behaviour of the local magnetic susceptibility near the ordinary, surface-bulk and surface phase transitions and in a range of temperatures where physical quantities have pseudocritical behaviour is discussed. The critical behaviour of the local magnetic susceptibility in a three-dimensional semi-infinite model is also given for comparison.     

Phase diagrams of Ising films with competing interactions

The axial next-nearest-neighbour Ising (ANNNI) model of finite thickness is studied. Using mean-field theory, Monte Carlo simulations, and low-temperature analyses, phase diagrams are determined, with a distinct phase diagram for each film thickness. The robustness of the phase diagrams against varying the couplings in the surface layers is analysed. Received 19 March 2002 and Received in final form 2 April 2002 Published online 6 June 2002     

Investigation of the crossover properties for the interaction parameters of a ferroelectric thin film

The crossover feature, from the ferroelectric-dominant phase diagram (FPD) to the paraelectric-dominant phase diagram (PPD), for the interaction parameters of a ferroelectric thin film described by the transverse Ising model have been calculated in detail by the use of the mean-field approximation. The crossover values of the exchange interactions and the transverse fields for a thin film with certain layers are displayed as a curved surface in the three-dimensional parameter space. The numerical results show that for thin films with different numbers of layers there exists a common intersection line for the curved surfaces of the crossover values. Meanwhile the layer-independent equation for the intersection line is obtained for the first time.     

Influence of Surface Transition Layers on Phase Transformation and Pyroelectric Properties of Ferroelectric Thin Film

Taking into account surface transition layers （STLs）, we study the phase transformation and pyroelectric properties of ferroelectric thin films by employing the transverse Ising model （TIM） in the framework of the mean field approximation. The distribution functions representing the intra-layer and inter-layer couplings between the two nearest neighbour pseudo-spins are introduced to characterize STLs. Compared with the results obtained by the traditional treatments for the thin films using only the single surface transition layer （SSL）, it is shown that the STL model reflects a more realistic and comprehensive situation of films. The effects of various parameters on the phase transformation properties have shown that STL can make the Curie temperature of the film higher or lower than that of the corresponding Sulk material, and the thickness of STL is a key factor influencing the film properties. For a film with definite thickness, there exists a critical STL thickness at which ferroelectricity will disappear when the intra-layer and inter-layer interactions are weak.     

Ising films with surface defects

The influence of surface defects on the critical properties of magnetic films is studied for Ising models with nearest-neighbour ferromagnetic couplings. The defects include one or two adjacent lines of additional atoms and a step on the surface. For the calculations, both density-matrix renormalization group and Monte Carlo techniques are used. By changing the local couplings at the defects and the film thickness, non-universal features as well as interesting crossover phenomena in the magnetic exponents are observed. Received 27 July 2000 and Received in final form 5 October 2000     

Magnetization curves of a spin- bilayer system (A2) (ApB1−p)1 (B)2 with disordered interfaces

A calculation is presented for the component magnetizations of an infinite multilayer Ising system, consisting periodically of two layers of spin- A ions, two layers of spin- B ions, and a disordered layer interface in between that is characterized by a random arrangement of A and B ions like a two-dimensional A_pB_1−p alloy. The system is a simple cubic Ising-type structure with a coordination number z = 6. The model is general for ferro- and for antiferromagnetic A-B exchange couplings. The A-A and B-B exchange couplings are regarded as ferromagnetic. An effective field theory that goes beyond mean field, is employed to calculate the bulk-like transition temperature, the different component magnetizations as well as the total bulk-like magnetization. The component magnetizations are calculated for different realistic model values of ferro- and antiferromagnetic A-B exchange constants, as a function of temperature and of the concentration parameter p that characterizes the disorder in the interface. We show that the presence of a disordered interface may significantly affect the component and total magnetizations. In particular, for the case of antiferromagnetic exchange couplings, it is shown that the system can acquire a compensation temperature for certain domains of values of the concentration parameter p in the disordered interface.     

Dynamics of one-dimensional random quantum XY system with Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction

In this paper, the effects of random variables on the dynamics of the s=1/2 XY model with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction are studied. By means of the recurrence relation method in the high-temperature limit, we calculate the spin autocorrelation functions as well as the corresponding spectral densities for the cases that the exchange couplings between spins or external magnetic fields satisfy the double-Gaussian distribution. It is found that when the standard deviation of random exchange coupling δ_j (or the standard deviation of random external field δ_B) is small, the dynamics of the system undergoes a crossover from a collective-mode behavior to a central-peak one. However, when δ_J (or δ_B) is large, the crossover vanishes, and the system shows a central-peak behavior or the most disordered one. We also analyze the cases in which the exchange couplings or the external fields satisfy the bimodal and the Gaussian distributions. Our results show that for all the cases considered, the dynamics of the above system is similar to that of the one-dimensional random XY model.     

Magnetic properties of soft layer/FePt--MgO exchange coupled composite perpendicular recording media

The magnetic properties of exchange coupled composite （ECC） media that are composed of perpendicular magnetic recording media FePt MgO and two kinds of soft layers have been studied by using an x-ray diffractometer, a polar Kerr magneto-optical system （PMOKE） and a vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM）. The results show that ECC media can reduce the coercivities of perpendicular magnetic recording media FePt-MgO. The ECC media with granular-type soft layers have weaker exchange couplings between magnetic grains and the magnetization process, for ECC media of this kind mainly follow the Stoner Wohlfarth model.     

Measurement of oxygen transport kinetics in epitaxial La2NiO4+δ thin films by electrical conductivity relaxation

The oxygen transport kinetics of mixed ionic and electronic conducting La₂NiO₄ thin films made by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) were measured using the electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) technique. Since the film thickness is ∼ 3000 Å, the oxygen transport kinetics are controlled by the surface exchange rate. The experimental data are not well described by the usual single time constant model for oxygen surface exchange, but a good fit is obtained using two independent time constants. This model implies that the La₂NiO₄ film consists of two independent regions with different exchange rates that correspond to two different film microstructures.     

Exchange Interactions at Surfaces of Fe, Co, and Gd

Magnetic exchange interactions at low-index surfaces of bcc iron, hcp cobalt, and hcp gadolinium are studied using ab initio electronic structure calculations. Interlayer exchange couplings derived from total-energy differences are enhanced at the surfaces over their bulk counterparts. This trend is in contrast to a surface reduction of on-site exchange parameters formulated within a classical Heisenberg model. A particular attention is paid to the sensitivity of exchange interactions at a Gd(0001) surface to relaxation of interlayer distances. The calculated results do not provide support for recently observed surface enhancement of the Curie temperature of the Gd metal.     

The spin-wave contribution to the heat capacity of ferromagnetic thin films with variable interlayer couplings

A Heisenberg model is solved within the spin-wave theory for thin films in which ferromagnetic monolayers are separated by nonmagnetic spacer layers. The interface interaction is assumed to be ferromagnetic. We have included also a magnetic anisotropy in each manolayer. The temperature dependence of the spin-wave contribution to the heat capacity C _m in such composite systems is derived for different interlayer couplings and for different film thickness.     

Study of Phase Transition Properties in Epitaxial Ferroelectric Film

Based on the transverse Ising model and using decoupling approximation to the Fermi-type Green's function, we study the phase transition properties of the epitaxial ferroelectric film with one substrate. A general recursive equation of the ferroelectric thin film with two n-layer materials is obtained, which enables us to study the phase transition properties for any number layers forepitaxial ferroelectric thin film. With the help of this equation, we analyze the effect of the exchange interaction and the transverse field in the phase diagram, the influence to the polarizations and Curie temperature numerically. The results show that epitaxial ferroelectric film are able to induce a strong increase or decrease of Curie temperature to different exchange interactions and transverse fields within the epitaxial film layers. The theoreticalresults are in reasonable accordance with experimental data of different ferroelectric thin film.     

Influence of surface and bulk layers on the crossover features for interaction parameters of a ferroelectric thin film

The phase diagram of a ferroelectric thin film is studied by using the usual mean-field approximation. The crossover features, from the ferroelectric-dominant phase diagram to the paraelectric-dominant phase diagram, for the physical parameters of the thin film are discussed. Special attention is devoted to the investigation of surface and bulk layers, and how to influence the crossover values of exchange interactions and transverse fields.     

Quantum versus Jahn-Teller orbital physics in YVO3 and LaVO3

We argue that the large Jahn-Teller (JT) distortions in YVO3 and LaVO3 should suppress the quantum orbital fluctuation. The unusual magnetic properties can be well explained based on local density approximation + Hubbard U calculations using experimental structures, in terms of the JT orbital. The observed splitting of the spin-wave dispersions for YVO3 in a C-type antiferromagnetic state is attributed to the inequivalent VO2 layers in the crystal structure, instead of the "orbital-Peierls state." Alternative stacking of ab-plane exchange couplings produces the c-axis spin-wave splitting; thus, the spin system is highly three dimensional rather than quasi-one-dimensional. Similar splitting is also predicted for LaVO3, although it is weak.     

Renormalization group studies of phase diagrams of Ising and XY-model films of variable thickness

We compare the critical behavior of $\text{spin}\text{-}\text{1}\text{2}$ Ising model (ordinary phase transition in two dimensions) and classical XY-model (topological phase transition in two dimensions) films, with two flat surfaces and nearest neighbor couplings K_S between surface spins and K_B between all others, as a function of film thickness. We carry out a real space Migdal-style renormalization in two stages. In the bulk stage the film is first renormalized towards a double layer, with the renormalized parameters as inter- and intra-layer couplings. Then the double layer is renormalized with those couplings as initial parameters. From the RG-equations for the bulk stage we find a tricritical point, not only for the Ising model (in which case it is well known) but also for the XY-model. It signals the existence of distinct surface and bulk transitions for sufficiently large values of $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>S</mtext>}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>B</mtext>}}$. For the Ising model the complete program can be carried out and the phase diagram for films of arbitrary thickness is constructed. For the double layer XY-model a sufficiently complex Migdal-style renormalization appears to be unfeasible, presumably due to the possible presence of strings between the layers. Therefore, in an alternative approach, two representations for the partition function of the double layer XY-model are given. The system can be described in terms of its topological excitations, i.e., vortices on each layer and strings, either closed or terminating in vortices, between them. The system is also written as three coupled Coulomb gases. Based on this representation a renormalization group is found, and used, together with a Griffiths inequality for the correlation functions, to obtain information on the phase diagram. If there is a single phase transition, there is one phase where the correlations exhibit power law behavior and another where they fall off exponentially. The transition temperature increases monotonously with interlayer coupling to twice its value in two dimensions, but the nature of the phase transition for any finite inter-layer coupling appears to be different from that at zero coupling. We suggest that this is associated with the behavior of the internal strings. These results should be relevant for the renormalization of the film with isotropic bulk couplings as well as for layered systems of finite thickness, with different inter- and intra-layer couplings.     

Instability of Non—Fermi Liquid Behavior in the Two—Channel Kondo Model

The effects of interchannel scattering of conduction electrons by the impurity and repulsion of conduction electrons at the impurity site on the two-channel Kondo model are simultaneously considered in this paper,It is shown that these two perturbations will substantially modify the usual local non-Fermi liquid behavior of the two-channel Kondo model.With bosonization and unitary transformations we find that the system can be transformed into a single channel Kondo model with anisotropy between longitudinal and transverse exchange couplings,Whatever for originally antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic isotropic coupling,the system always flows to strong-coupling limit,which exhibits local Fermi liquid behavior at low temperatures.     

Theoretical calculation of magnetic properties of ultrathin Fe films on Cu(100)

The temperature dependence of the magnetization in fcc Fe on Cu(100) is calculated using a self-consistent local mean-field theory. The model reproduces an experimental magnetization oscillation as a function of film thickness and supports a picture where the top two layers are ferromagnetically coupled, and the remaining layers are antiferromagnetically coupled. The origin of the puzzling linear temperature dependence in oscillation amplitude is understood as a "surface phenomena" of the antiferromagnetic layer at the Fe/Cu interface. Proximity effects between a thin antiferromagnet with a low Neel temperature and a neighboring ferromagnet with a higher Curie temperature are discussed.     

润滑膜全氟聚醚的稳定性

采用基于粗粒珠簧模型的分子动力学模拟方法，考察了非极性和极性全氟聚醚(perfluoropolyether， PFPE)膜在固体表面的稳定性. 随着时间推移，非极性PFPE膜的表面形貌没有明显变化，呈现稳定的状态；而强极性PFPE膜的部分润滑分子发生局域集聚，使润滑膜的表面粗糙度随时间而增大，呈现不稳定的状态. 通过比较具有不同极性端基PFPE润滑膜的表面形貌变化，结果发现：极性端基与极性端基的作用是导致润滑膜不稳定的根本原因，极性端基与固体表面的作用对润滑膜稳定性影响不大. 关键词： 全氟聚醚膜 分子动力学模拟 稳定性     

The effect of metallic screens on the spectrum of exchange dipole hybrid electromagnetic-spin waves

A theory of exchange dipole hybrid electromagnetic-spin waves is elaborated. The waves propagate in arbitrary magnetized five-layer screened structures where a ferromagnetic layer is separated from the metallic screens by two insulating layers on both sides, the layers having different permittivities. Within this theory, the effect of the screens on the hybrid surface wave spectrum in layered structures is analyzed. The structures consist of a ferromagnetic film that is applied on an insulating substrate and is in contact with a ferroelectric plate.     

Local Anodic Oxidation of Thin GeO Films and Formation of Nanostructures Based on Them

The process of local anodic oxidation of thin GeO films has been studied using an atomic force microscope. The electron-probe microanalysis showed that oxidized areas of a GeO film were germanium dioxide. The effect of the voltage pulse duration applied to the probe–substrate system and the atmospheric humidity on the height of the oxide structures has been studied. The kinetics of the local anodic oxidation (LAO) in a semi-contact mode obeys the Cabrera–Mott model for large times. The initial growth rate of the oxide (R₀) significantly increases and the time of starting the oxidation (t₀) decreases as the atmospheric humidity increases by 20%, which is related to an increase in the concentration of oxygen-containing ions at the surface of the oxidized GeO film. It was shown that nanostructures in thin GeO layers can be formed by the LAO method.