Dynamic properties of a symmetric spin nanocontact

This paper describes a theoretical study, at a microscopic scale, of the properties of a symmetric magnetic nanocontact. In particular, we study a symmetric nanocontact separating two waveguide groups of semi-infinite spin ordered ferromagnetic monatomic chains. The individual and total conductance of bulk magnons of the chains, scattering coherently at the nanocontact, and the localised density of spin states in the nanocontact domain, are calculated and analysed. The inter-atomic magnetic exchange is varied on the nanocontact to investigate the consequences of magnetic softening and hardening for the calculated properties. Transmission and reflection scattering cross sections are calculated from elements of a Landauer type scattering matrix. The results highlight the localized spin states on the nanocontact domain and their interactions with incident magnons. The results demonstrate also the magnetic and symmetry properties of the nanocontact domain.     

Magnon scattering by a symmetric atomic well in free standing very thin magnetic films

A theoretical model is presented for the study of the scattering of magnons at an extended symmetric atomic well in very thin magnetic films. The thin film consists of three cubic atomic planes with ordered spins coupled by Heisenberg exchange, and the system is supported on a non-magnetic substrate, and considered otherwise free from magnetic interactions. The coherent transmission and reflection scattering coefficients are derived as elements of a Landauer type scattering matrix. Transmission and reflection scattering cross sections are hence calculated specifically, as a function of the varying local magnetic exchange on the inhomogeneous boundary. Detailed numerical results for the individual incident film magnons, and for the calculated overall magnon conductance, show characteristic transmission properties, with associated Fano resonances, depending on the magnetic boundary conditions and on the magnon incidence.     

Magnons in a square bar

We present a theoretical investigation of magnon excitations within a simple cubic, ferromagnetic crystal bar of square cross section formed by the intersection of [100] surfaces. The eigenfrequency spectrum for spin waves in the bulk, and localized at the surfaces and edges of the bar is obtained and examined in the presence of dipolar, and nearest and next nearest neighbor exchange spin-spin interactions, for values of the one-dimensional wavevector extending form the origin to the boundary of the one-dimensional Brillouin zone for the bar. The modes obtained are wavelike in the direction parallel to the bar axis. The localization of the modes is determined from an examination of their eigenvectors.     

Phonon scattering in quasi-one-dimensional structure

We introduce a model to study a symmetric nanocontact, whereby its mechanical properties can be analyzed via the vibration spectra. The model system consists of two groups of triple semi-infinite atomic chains joined by atoms in between. The matching method theoretical approach is used to calculate the coherent reflection and transmission scattering probabilities, the characteristic vibration Green functions and densities of states (DOS), for the vibration components of the individual atomic sites that constitute a complete representation of the nanocontact domain boundaries. The nanocontact observables are numerically calculated for different cases of elastic hardening and softening, to investigate how the local dynamics can respond to changes in the microscopic environment on the nanocontact domain. The analysis of the vibration spectra and the DOS demonstrate the fluctuations, related to Fano resonances, due to the coherent coupling between traveling phonons and the localized vibration modes in the nanocontact domain.     

The influence of anisotropy of exchange interactions on the magnetic properties of the Li2CuO2 cuprate

A quantum spin model with competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions was studied. The model described a special class of quasi-one-dimensional cuprates. The influence of anisotropy of exchange interactions on the properties of the model was analyzed. It was shown that, under certain conditions, the ferromagnetic state was the ground state, and the spectrum of excitations was characterized by the presence of bound magnon states. The results are used to analyze the magnetic properties of the Li₂CuO₂ quasi-one-dimensional cuprate.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of ultrathin films and interfaces investigated by dichroic core-level photoelectron spectroscopy

The electronic and magnetic structures of ultrathin films made of a ferromagnetic and a nonmagnetic material are theoretically investigated by means of magnetic dichroism in spin- and angle-resolved core-level photoelectron spectroscopy. How these properties manifest themselves in the photoemission intensities is analyzed with a focus on the interface between film and substrate. The dependence on both exchange and spin–orbit splitting, magnetic ordering, core-level shift and on the thickness of the covering layer are investigated in detail. Ultrathin films of Fe and Pd serve as prototypical systems because of their large exchange and spin–orbit splittings, respectively.     

Fingerprints of the magnetic polaron in nonequilibrium electron transport through a quantum wire coupled to a ferromagnetic spin chain

We study nonequilibrium quantum transport through a mesoscopic wire coupled via local exchange to a ferromagnetic spin chain. Using the Keldysh formalism in the self-consistent Born approximation, we identify fingerprints of the magnetic polaron state formed by hybridization of electronic and magnon states. Because of its low decoherence rate, we find coherent transport signals. Both elastic and inelastic peaks of the differential conductance are discussed as a function of external magnetic fields, the polarization of the leads, and the electronic level spacing of the wire.     

Magnons localised on surface steps: a theoretical model

We present the solution of the full magnetic problem arising from the absence of magnetic translation symmetry in two dimensions due to an extended magnetic surface step on the surface boundary of an insulating magnetic substrate. The calculation concerns in particular the spin fluctuation dynamics of a magnetic atomic step in the surface of a ferromagnetic simple cubic lattice, the spin order being in the direction normal to surface boundary. Only exchange interactions are considered between the spins in the model. The theoretical approach determines the evanescent spin fluctuation field in the two dimensional plane normal to the direction of the step edge. This field arises owing to the absence of magnetic translation symmetry in this plane, and is completely independent of the form of the surface defect, underlying the general character of the calculation. We show the existence of optical localised magnon modes propagating along the step, their fields being evanescent in the plane normal to the step direction. Received 17 February 1999     

Frequency in Middle of Magnon Band Gap in a Layered Ferromagnetic Superlattice

The frequency in middle of magnon energy band in a five-layer ferromagnetic superlattice is studied by using the linear spin-wave approach and Green＇s function technique. It is found that four energy gaps and corresponding four frequencie in middle of energy gaps exist in the magnon band along Kx direction perpendicular to the superlattice plane. The spin quantum numbers and the interlayer exchange couplings all affect the four frequencies in middle of the energy gaps. When all interlayer exchange couplings are same, the effect of spin quantum numbers on the frequency wg1 in middle of the energy gap Δw12 is complicated, and the frequency wg1 depends on the match of spin quantum numbers in each layer. Meanwhile, the frequencies wg2, wg3, and wg4 in middle of other energy gaps increase monotonously with increasing spin quantum numbers. When the spin quantum numbers in each layer are same, the frequencies wg1, wg2, wg3, and wg4 all increase monotonously with increasing interlayer exchange couplings.     

Spin-polarized electron energy loss spectroscopy of high energy, large wave vector spin waves in ultrathin fcc Co films on Cu(001)

The realm of high energy, large wave vector spin waves in ultrathin films and at surfaces is unexplored because a suitable method was not available up to now. We present experimental data for an 8 ML thick Co film deposited on Cu(001) which show that spin-polarized electron energy loss spectroscopy can be used to measure spin-wave dispersion curves of ultrathin ferromagnetic films up to the surface Brillouin zone boundary.     

Magnetic excitations of a ferromagnetic superlattice

By modifying the mixed-Bethe-lattice model, the properties of spin wave spectra of a ferromagnetic supperlattice are studied. The local density of magnon states (LDOMS) are obtained.     

Localized magnetic excitations for a line of magnetic impurities in a transverse Ising thin film ferromagnet

A Green's function method is used to obtain the spectrum of spin excitations associated with a linear array of magnetic impurities implanted in a ferromagnetic thin film. The equations of motion for the Green's functions of the anisotropic film are written in the framework of the Ising model in a transverse field. The frequencies of localized modes are calculated as a function of the interaction parameters for the exchange coupling between impurity-spin pairs, host-spin pairs, and impurity-host neighbors, as well as the effective field parameter at the impurity sites.     

Three-dimensional noncollinear antiferromagnetic order in single-crystalline FeMn ultrathin films

We present experimental evidence for a three-dimensional noncollinear antiferromagnetic spin structure in ultrathin single-crystalline fcc Fe50Mn50 layers using magnetic circular dichroism photoelectron emission microscopy and x-ray magnetic linear dichroism. Layer-resolved as-grown domain images of epitaxial trilayers grown on Cu(001) in which FeMn is sandwiched between ferromagnetic layers with different easy axes reveal the presence of antiferromagnetic spin components in the film plane and normal to the film plane. An FeMn spin structure with no collinear order in the film plane is consistent with the absence of x-ray magnetic linear dichroism in Fe L3 absorption in FeMn/Co bilayers.     

Spontaneous transformations of the magnetic structure of a film nanocontact

The magnetization distributions in a symmetric magnetic film nanocontact for oppositely magnetized ferromagnetic electrodes are analyzed based on numerically solving the Landau-Lifshitz and magnetostatic equations as a function of magnetic and geometrical factors. It is found that a symmetric magnetic configuration is unstable when the head-to-head domain wall dividing the regions with opposite orientations of magnetization is located at the center of the nanocontact. The instability arises when the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant reaches a certain critical value K _c below which it spontaneously leaves the center of the nanocontact. The transition from the symmetric state (wall at the center) to an asymmetric one can be continuous (second order) or discrete (first order), depending on the geometrical and physical parameters of the nanocontact (length to width ratio, anisotropy constant, and saturation magnetization). The phase diagram is constructed in terms of the variable’s nanocontact length vs. anisotropy constant. This diagram divides the symmetric and asymmetric magnetic configurations of the system. The occurrence of a tricritical point in the phase diagram is its characteristic feature.     

Effect of optical phonon‐magnon interaction on the magnon softening at finite temperature

A magnon‐phonon interaction model is set up in a two‐dimensional ferromagnetic compound square‐lattice system. Using the Matsubara Green function theory we calculated the magnon dispersion curves on the main symmetric line in Brillouin zone, compared the influences of the magnetic ion optical phonon with non‐magnetic ion optical phonon on the magnetic excitation of the system and discussed the influences of various parameters on the magnon softening. The lower Debye temperature of ferromagnetic materials is, the more likely the magnon softening occurs. It turned out that the optical phonon‐magnon coupling plays an important role on the magnon softening, the longitudinal optical phonon contributes the most to the magnon softening and magnon damping. It is also found that the contribution of the non‐magnetic ion to the magnon softening and magnon damping is more significant than that of magnetic ion when the mass of the magnetic ion is less than that of the non‐magnetic ion, or the mass of magnetic ion and the non‐magnetic ion are equal.     

Exchange interactions,spin waves,and transition temperatures in itinerant magnets

This contribution reviews an ab initio two-step procedure to determine exchange interactions, spin-wave spectra, and thermodynamic properties of itinerant magnets. In the first step, the self-consistent electronic structure of a system is calculated for a collinear spin structure at zero temperature. In the second step, parameters of an effective classical Heisenberg Hamiltonian are determined using the magnetic force theorem and the one-electron Green functions. The Heisenberg Hamiltonian and methods of statistical physics are employed in subsequent evaluation of magnon dispersion laws, spin-wave stiffness constants, and Curie/Néel temperatures. The applicability of the developed scheme is illustrated by selected properties of various systems such as transition and rare-earth metals, disordered alloys including diluted magnetic semiconductors, ultrathin films, and surfaces. A comparison to other ab initio approaches is presented as well.     

LATTICE MODEL OF STRIPE DOMAIN STRUCTURE IN FERROMAGNETIC ULTRATHIN FILMS

A lattice model is proposed to describe the stripe domain sructure in a magnetic ultrathin film that consists of only a few or tens of monolayers and has a perpendicular anisotropy.The dipo;ar energies of the perpendicular and in-plane uniform magnetic states and the stripe domain structures in a magnetic ultrathin film are calculated separately using Ewald's lattice summation method. The thickness dependence of the stripe domain structure is investigated, and the stability of the stripe dimain structure is discussed. The results show that for magnetic ultrathin films the stripe dimain structure may have sensitive dependence on their thickness.     

Phase transformations of the magnetic structure in film nanobridges

The magnetic structure of a plane nanobridge consisting of two ferromagnetic film electrodes connected by a nanosized crossbar of the same material is studied. Due to their magnetoresistive properties, such bridges are of considerable interest for microelectronics. Using a numerical micromagnetics method, it is shown that a domain wall is displaced from the center of the bridge crossbar as the anisotropy constant of the system decreases and reaches a critical value. A phase diagram is constructed, which makes it possible to determine the possible magnetic states of real nanobridges. The mechanism of the phase transformation is described in terms of an analytical model. This model explains the shape of the phase diagram of the nanobridge. Formally, the transformations of the magnetic structure of the nanocontact can be described in terms of the Landau theory of phase transitions in a certain range of parameters of the system.