Revealing the origin of the vertical hysteresis loop shifts in an exchange biased Co/YMnO(3) bilayer

We have investigated exchange bias effects in bilayers composed of the antiferromagnetic o-YMnO(3) and ferromagnetic Co thin film by means of SQUID magnetometry, magnetoresistance, anisotropic magnetoresistance and the planar Hall effect. The magnetization and magneto-transport properties show pronounced asymmetries in the field and magnetization axes of the field hysteresis loops. Both exchange bias parameters, the exchange bias field H(E)(T) as well as the magnetization shift M(E)(T), vanish around the Néel temperature T(N)???45?K. We show that the magnetization shift M(E)(T) is also measured by a shift in the anisotropic magnetoresistance and planar Hall resistance having a similar temperature dependence as the one obtained from magnetization measurements. Because the o-YMnO(3) film is highly insulating, our results demonstrate that the M(E)(T) shift originates at the interface within the ferromagnetic Co layer. To show that the main results obtained are general and not because of some special characteristics of the o-YMO(3) layer, similar measurements were done in Co/CoO micro-wires. The transport and magnetization characterization of the micro-wires supports the main conclusion that these effects are related to the response of the ferromagnetic Co layer at the interface.     

相分离体系Nd1-xSrxCoO3的亚铁磁行为

研究了Nd1-xSrxCoO3(0.1≤x≤0.5)系列多晶样品在低温时的亚铁磁行为.通过传统的固相反应法合成了Nd1-xSrxCoO3多晶样品,应用物理性质测试系统对样品进行了直流磁化强度、磁滞回线的测试.磁化强度的研究表明,随掺杂量增加,团簇的数目和尺寸都在增加,铁磁性增强.同时,多晶样品在低温时形成亚铁磁序.磁滞回线的研究表明,Nd离子与Co离子之间存在磁性耦合.由于Co与Nd的反平行排列,Nd1-xSrxCoO3体系低温时出现亚铁磁序.     

Tight-binding study of ammonia and hydrogen adsorption on magnetic cobalt systems

The semi-empirical self-consistent tight-binding model of ammonia and hydrogen adsorption at Co(0001) and small Co clusters is used to study the chemisorption role in surface magnetism. The adsorbate choice has been suggested by recent experiments. At the Co(0001) surface the atomic magnetization is predicted to diminish locally by 0.26 μ_B due to an isolated hydrogen atom adsorption; for Co₁₃ clusters the change is somewhat smaller but less localized. At H(1×1)–Co(0001) the magnetization of surface Co atoms drops to 0.88 μ_B. The hydrogen magnetic moment is very small and couples antiferromagnetically to Co. Ammonia adsorption is found to reduce the Co atom magnetization locally by 0.1 μ_B or less. We discuss the possibility of adsorbate–metal antiferromagnetic coupling in more detail.     

Evidence for noncollinearity between surface and bulk magnetization in ultrathin Co films

The magnetization reversal of ultrathin Co films on Cu(001) has been investigated by grazing ion scattering and magneto-optical Kerr effect. Differences in the behavior of surface and bulk magnetization are found and attributed to the reduced coordination and site symmetry at the surface. The reversal behavior of the surface magnetization depends on the chemical surface composition. For pure Co films, the reversal of the bulk magnetization is preceded by a complete reversal of the surface magnetization. A particular magnetic state of the surface is suggested as a precursor for magnetization reversal.     

Effects of dipolar interactions on magnetic properties of Co nanowire arrays

Magnetic properties and magnetization processes of Co nanowire arrays with various packing densities are investigated by means of object-oriented micromagnetic framework(OOMMF) software package with finite difference micromagnetic simulations. The packing density of nanowires is changed with the diameter, number of nanowires and center-to-center spacing between the wires. The magnetization reversal mechanism and squareness of the hysteresis loops of the nanowire arrays are very sensitive to the packing density of nanowires. Clear steps and plateaux on the demagnetization are visible,which turns out that dipolar interactions among the wires have a significant influence on switching field.     

Fe掺杂La0．8Sr0．2Co1-xFexO3磁性的研究

利用溶胶-凝胶法制备了一系列的La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品.通过研究在不同外加磁场下磁化强度和温度变化的关系发现,在较高的外场下La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品的磁性反转现象没有被观察到;在低场下La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3系统磁性反转现象被实现.这说明Fe的掺杂引起了La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品中铁磁和反铁磁之间的竞争,导致了La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品磁性反转;同时外加磁场的强弱影响了La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3系统磁性反转现象的发生,外加磁场增大使得在La0.8Sr0.2Co1-xFexO3样品中Co离子的自旋平行趋势更强,在铁磁和反铁磁之间的竞争中铁磁耦合占主导优势,因此在较高的外场下磁性反转现象没有被观察到.     

Gd3Co29-xCrx新相化合物的结构与磁性

制备出具有室温单轴磁晶各向异性的非间隙型Co基Gd3Co29-xCrx化合物(x=65和70)，x射线衍射和磁性测量表明所有单相化合物均属于单斜晶系，Nd3(Fe,Ti)29型结构和A2/m空间群.Gd3Co29-xCrx化合物的居里温度在x=65时为412 K，x=70时为359 K. Gd3Co29-xCrx化合物在x=65 时磁化强度随温度的变化曲线表明，在居里温度以下的某一温度处有一补偿点，在补偿点处求得晶格分子场系数nRT=33 T f.u./μB. 关键词： Gd3Co29-xCrx化合物 x射线衍射 磁晶各向异性     

金属间化合物Ho2Co17-xSix的结构和磁性研究

研究了非磁性原子Si替代Co对Ho2Co17金属间化合物结构和磁性的影响。X射线衍射结果表明,所有Ho2Co17-xSix（x=0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0,2.5,3.0）化合物都为Th2Ni17型六角结构;化合物的晶格常数和单胞体积都随Si含量的增加而呈线性下降。磁性测量结果表明,Ho2Co17-xSix化合物的饱和磁化强度随Si含量的增加而呈线性下降。从热磁曲线测量观察到,Ho2Co17-xSix化合物在x=0.5时可能呈面各向异性,当0.5≤x≤3.0时出现由易面到易轴的自旋重取向,自旋重取向温度Tsr随Si原子含量的增加先下降,而后双上升,在x=2.5处出现最低点。     

Structural and magnetic properties of Co-C composite films and Co/C multilayer films

CoC composite films and Co/C multilayer films have been prepared by a method incorporating ion beam sputtering and plasma chemical vapor deposition. It has been found that the structure and magnetic properties of both the Co-C composite and the Co/C multilayer films depend strongly on the substrate temperature during deposition. The Co-C composite film deposited at room temperature is amorphous, with relatively low saturation magnetization and coercivity. On the other hand, the film deposited at 250 °C is composed of fine Co crystallites separated by amorphous C or Co-C phase. As a result, both the saturation magnetization and coercivity are increased compared with the film deposited at room temperature. When deposited at room temperature, the Co/C multilayer film exhibits good periodicity, with a period of 70 nm (Co: 40 nm, C: 30 nm) and sharp and flat Co-C interfaces. High magnetization (602 emu/cm³) and low coercivity (1.6 Oe) are obtained for such a film. However, increasing the substrate temperature to 250 °C was found to be detrimental to the magnetic properties due to the formation of cobalt carbide at the Co-C interface. Received: 11 July 2000 / Accepted: 13 July 2000 / Published online: 30 November 2000     

FMR studies in compositionally modulated Co-Nb and Co films

Compositionally modulated (CM) films of Co-Nb have been prepared by sequential evaporation onto Si substrates using two E-guns fitted in an UHV system. The thickness of the Co sublayer was varied in the range 50 to 105 Å and that of Nb in the range 18 to 90 Å. A single layer Co film of about 850 Å was also prepared and studied. Magnetization was measured using a VSM at 290 K. FMR was observed at about 9.8 GHz in the range 3 to 290 K. For Co a layer thickness of 50 Å the magnetization in CM film is about 12% lower at 4.2 K, as compared to the bulk value. The FMR spectrum of single layer Co film shows a single absorption in the perpendicular configuration with a narrow line width of 40 Oe. Other properties of this film agree with those published in the literature. In CM films, multiple absorption modes are observed. A small perpendicular anisoropy is also measured. The magnetization in all the samples varies at T^3/2. The Curie temperature of CM films is lower than that of bulk Co. The resonance line width in CM films at lower temperatures, increases much faster than in Co film.     

Thermal stability of spin valve sensors using artificial Co/Ir based ferrimagnets

Hard-soft spin valve structures have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on MgO(0 0 1) substrates. The hard magnetic layer consists of an artificial Co/Ir/Co ferrimagnet system (AFi), while a Fe/Co bilayer from the buffer has been used as a soft detection layer. The Fe layer has been grown at 600°C giving rise to a monocrystalline layer with a BCC structure. Consequently, this layer presents a hard and a easy magnetization axis, respectively, along the BCC [1 1 0] and the [1 0 0] directions. The AFi system presents dramatic differences after successive annealing steps up to 350°C. An increase of the GMR from 3% to 3.5% is observed after annealing at 250°C while the coercive field of the AFi and the GMR plateau are strongly reduced. After further annealing at higher temperature the GMR drops down accompanied with a strong decrease in the antiparallel alignment amount in the AFi system. Rutherford back scattering measurements have been performed to investigate the changes in the interface morphology and to correlate it to the magneto-transport properties.     

稀土化合物Pr3Co的低温磁性研究

我们报告稀土化合物Pr3Co在低温下的磁化强度和磁化率随温度变化的曲线以及在不同温度下样品的磁化情况.在低温下,磁化强度随磁场强度的变化关系曲线为回线,在高温时为直线.我们还估出了磁化过程中磁性转变(即磁矩变化)的大小.     

Magnetization reversal in perpendicular exchange-biased multilayers

Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy exhibit an exchange bias when covered with an IrMn layer. The exchange bias field, which is about 7 mT for 3 Co/Pt bilayer repetitions and a Co layer thickness of 5 Å, can be increased up to 16.5 mT by the insertion of a thin Pt layer at the Co/IrMn interface. The interfacial magnetic anisotropy of the Co/IrMn interface (KSCo/IrMn =-0.09 mJ/m2) favours in-plane magnetization and tends to tilt the Co spins away from the film normal. Dynamical measurements of the magnetization reversal process reveal that both thermally activated spin reversal in the IrMn layer and domain wall nucleation in the Co/Pt multilayer influence the interfacial spin structure and therefore the strength of the perpendicular exchange bias field.     

Imaging the cone state of the spin reorientation transition

The magnetization behavior and the domain pattern in remanence are studied in Co/Pt multilayers. The reorientation of magnetization from perpendicular to in plane is found to happen via the state of canted magnetization. In the transition from an easy axis to an easy plane a stable domain pattern in the in-plane magnetization components is found for Co/Pt multilayers. The analysis of the domain pattern reveals that the magnetization canting is such that all in-plane orientations of magnetization are equally occupied. The found structure is appointed to the cone state.     

Magnetic properties of 3D nanocomposites consisting of an opal matrix with embedded spinel ferrite particles

The magnetic properties of 3D nanocomposites representing Mn–Zn, Ni–Zn, Co–Zn, La–Co–Zn, and Nd–Co–Zn spinel ferrite particles embedded in the interspherical spaces of opal matrices are studied. Experimental data are obtained in the temperature interval 2–300 K by measuring the magnetization at a static magnetic field strength of up to 50 kOe and the ac magnetic susceptibility at an alternating magnetic field amplitude of 4 kOe and a frequency of 80 Hz.     

Electric-field control of nonvolatile magnetization in Co40Fe40B20/Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))(0.7)Ti(0.3)O3 structure at room temperature

We report a large and nonvolatile bipolar-electric-field-controlled magnetization at room temperature in a Co(40)Fe(40)B(20)/Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))(0.7)Ti(0.3)O(3) structure, which exhibits an electric-field-controlled looplike magnetization. Investigations on the ferroelectric domains and crystal structures with in situ electric fields reveal that the effect is related to the combined action of 109° ferroelastic domain switching and the absence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in Co(40)Fe(40)B(20). This work provides a route to realize large and nonvolatile magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature and is significant for applications.     

Computer simulation of magnetization flop in magnetic tunnel junctions exchange-biased by synthetic antiferromagnets

Computer simulation in a single domain multilayer model is used to investigate magnetization flop in magnetic tunnel junctions, exchange-biased by pinned synthetic antiferromagnets with the multilayer structure NiFe/AlO_x/Co/Ru/Co/FeMn. The resistance to magnetization flop increases with decreasing cell size due to increased shape anisotropy and hence increased coercivity of the Co layers in the synthetic antiferromagnet. However, when the synthetic antiferromagnet is not or weakly pinned, the magnetization directions of the two layers sandwiching AlO_x, which mainly determine the magnetoresistance, are aligned antiparallel due to a strong magnetostatic interaction, resulting in an abnormal MR change from the high MR state to zero, irrespective of the direction of the free layer switching. This emphasizes an importance of a strong pinning of the synthetic antiferromagnet at small cell dimensions. The threshold field for magnetization flop is found to increase linearly with increasing antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the two Co layers in the synthetic antiferromagnet. The restoring force from magnetization flop to the normal synthetic antiferromagnetic structure is roughly proportional to the resistance to magnetization flop. Irrespective of the magnetic parameters and cell sizes, the state of magnetization flop does not exist near H_a=0, indicating that magnetization flop is driven by the Zeeman energy.     

On cobalt magnetization suppression at bimetallic interfaces

We study theoretically the Co magnetization suppression at the Co–M (M=Ti, Nb, Mo, Re, Os, Ir and Pt) interface. We consider (1) M(1×1) overlayer on the FCC(1 1 1) or HCP(0 0 0 1) slab, (2) c(2×2) Co–M alloy above the same surfaces. In the latter case, the Co magnetization is reduced to about 0.5 μ_B by Ti, Nb, Mo and Re, but the effect is probably an overestimation because of compression of M–Co bonds. At Co atoms below the M(1×1) overlayer, the Co magnetization does not drop below 1 μ_B. We discuss also the Co–M antiferromagnetic coupling.     

On the possibility of detecting asymmetric magnetization reversal processes in exchange bias systems by low temperature nuclear orientation

Low temperature nuclear orientation has been used for the first time to investigate the magnetization reversal processes in an exchange bias system (Co/Au/CoO), with the advantage of observing both the Co and Au layers at the same time. By monitoring the counting-rate ratio of two γ-ray detectors, the measurements may be used to distinguish between reversal processes dominated by domain wall motion as opposed to rotation of the magnetization.     

Structure and composition of secondary phase particles in cobalt-doped TiO2 films

The microstructural properties of secondary phase particles formed in epitaxial Co_xTi_1−xO₂ anatase thin films grown on (0 0 1)LaAlO₃ by a reactive RF magnetron co-sputter deposition are examined. These films exhibit ferromagnetic behavior in magnetization measurements, showing a M–H loop at room temperature with a saturation magnetization on the order of 0.7 μ_B /Co. X-ray photoemission spectrometry indicates that the Co cations are in the Co²⁺ valence state. Cross-section electron microscopy reveals that a significant fraction of the cobalt segregates into Co–Ti–O secondary phase particles. Selected area electron diffraction shows that the secondary phase particles are cobalt-rich anatase. While the cobalt is concentrated in the segregated particles, local energy dispersive spectrometry indicates some Co throughout the film.