Magnetisation of isolated single crystalline Fe-nanoparticles measured by a ballistic Hall micro-magnetometer

We present here the first magnetisation measurements on isolated single crystalline Fe-nanoparticles performed with a ballistic Hall micro-magnetometer. The measurements have a sensitivity of and thus provide us the possibility to study the mechanisms of magnetisation reversal in a single nanoparticle. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles are influenced by their crystal structure and shape, and the presence of an oxide surface layer. They exhibit curling of the magnetic moments, but also a novel hysteresis behaviour. The spin configurations found for the system agree well with numerical calculations based on a Heisenberg Hamiltonian including the exchange and dipole interaction and surface anisotropy. Received: 1st September 1998 and Received in final form 21 June 1999     

Damping of antiferromagnetic spin waves by valence fluctuations in the double layer perovskite YBaFe2O5

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments show that spin dynamics in the charge-ordered insulating ground state of the double layer perovskite YBaFe(2)O(5) is well described in terms of e(g) superexchange interactions. Above the Verwey transition at T(V)=308 K, t(2g) double exchange-type conduction proceeds within antiferromagnetic FeO(2)-BaO-FeO(2) double layers by an electron hopping process that requires a spin flip of the five-coordinated Fe ions, costing an energy of 5S(2) approximately 0.1 eV. The hopping process disrupts near-neighbor spin correlations, leading to massive damping of zone-boundary spin waves.     

Ultrasound in spin glasses II

General expressions are derived for the change of the sound velocity Δv(ω,T) and the damping of sound waves γ(ω,T) in spin glasses for all temperatures and without assuming a specific spin dynamics. The calculation is based on the modulation of the exchange interactions by the sound waves. Explicit results are obtained for diffusive or relaxing spin excitations.     

Thermodynamics of a continuous medium with electric and magnetic dipoles

The thermodynamics of an electrically charged, multicomponent fluid with spontaneous electric and magnetic dipoles is analysed in the presence of electromagnetic fields. Taking into account the chemical composition of the current densities and stress tensors leads to three types of irreversible terms: scalars, vectors and pseudo-vectors. The scalar terms account for chemical reactivities, the vectorial terms account for transport and the pseudo-vectorial terms account for relaxation. The linear phenomenological relations, derived from the irreversible evolution, describe notably the Lehmann and electric Lehmann effects, the Debye relaxation of polar molecules and the Landau-Lifshitz relaxation of the magnetisation. This formalism accounts for the thermal and electric magnetisation accumulations and magnetisation waves. It also predicts that a temperature gradient affects the dynamics of magnetic vortices and drives magnetisation waves.     

Monte Carlo investigation of the magnetic anisotropy in Fe/Dy multilayers

By Monte Carlo simulations in the canonical ensemble, we have studied the magnetic anisotropy in Fe/Dy amorphous multilayers. This work has been motivated by experimental results which show a clear correlation between the magnetic perpendicular anisotropy and the substrate temperature during elaboration of the samples. Our aim is to relate macroscopic magnetic properties of the multilayers to their structure, more precisely their concentration profile. Our model is based on concentration dependent exchange interactions and spin values, on random magnetic anisotropy and on the existence of locally ordered clusters that leads to a perpendicular magnetisation. Our results evidence that a compensation point occurs in the case of an abrupt concentration profile. Moreover, an increase of the non-collinearity of the atomic moments has been evidenced when the Dy anisotropy constant value grows. We have also shown the existence of inhomogeneous magnetisation profiles along the samples which are related to the concentration profiles.     

Collective spin excitations in 2D paramagnet with dipole interaction

The collective spin excitations in the unbounded 2D paramagnetic system with dipole interactions are studied. The model Hamiltonian includes Zeeman energy and dipole interaction energy, while the exchange vanishes. The system is placed into a constant uniform magnetic field which is orthogonal to the lattice plane. It provides the equilibrium state with spin ordering along the field direction, and the saturation is reached at zero temperature. We consider the deviations of spin magnetic moments from its equilibrium position along the external field. The Holstein-Primakoff representation is applied to spin operators in low-temperature approximation. When the interaction between the spin waves is negligible and only two-magnon terms are taken into account, the Hamiltonian diagonalisation is possible. We obtain the dispersion relation for spin waves in the square and hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Bose-Einstein statistics determine the average number of spin deviations, and total system magnetization. The lattice structure does not influence on magnetization at the long-wavelength limit. The dependencies of the relative magnetization and longitudinal susceptibility on temperature and external field intensity are found. The internal energy and specific heat of the Bose gas of spin waves are calculated. The collective spin excitations play a significant role in the properties of the paramagnetic system at low temperature and strong external magnetic field.     

Thermal spin transfer in Fe-MgO-Fe tunnel junctions

We compute thermal spin transfer (TST) torques in Fe-MgO-Fe tunnel junctions using a first principles wave-function-matching method. At room temperature, the TST in a junction with 3 MgO monolayers amounts to 10(-7) J/m(2)/K, which is estimated to cause magnetization reversal for temperature differences over the barrier of the order of 10 K. The large TST can be explained by multiple scattering between interface states through ultrathin barriers. The angular dependence of the TST can be very skewed, possibly leading to thermally induced high-frequency generation.     

Magnetic dynamics of dilute iron nano-clusters in silver films from Mössbauer spectroscopy and muon spin rotation

A silver film containing nanometer size clusters of iron (nominal conc. 1 at%) has been studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy and Low-Energy Muon Spin Rotation. Below about 20 K spin glass freezing due to interparticle interactions is found from both methods. Whereas Mössbauer spectra are insensitive to the fast fluctuations of cluster moments above spin glass freezing temperature, muon spin rotation in magnetic fields applied perpendicular to the polarized muon spins allows tracing the fluctuations of superparamagnetic moments. The temperature dependence of the damping of the muon spin rotation signal shows Arrhenius behavior between 10 to 100 K. Depending on the assumed shape of damping the activation energy of superparamagnetic fluctuations of cluster moments ranges between about 20 K ·k _B and 40 K ·k _B . Above about 120 K muon spin depolarization indicates diffusion and trapping of muons.     

On the theory of NMR spin echoes in solids

A general expression in terms of two-time correlation functions is derived for the spin echo responses to 90°-τ-β⁰_φ pulse sequences of quadrupolar spins coupled through dipolar interactions. The second moments of the correlation function are calculated for a system of spin one nuclei and shown to be in accordance with the experimental observations. Furthermore, results are presented for the fourth moments.     

Induced voltage due to time-dependent magnetisation textures

We determine the induced voltage generated by spatial and temporal magnetisation textures (inhomogeneities) in metallic ferromagnets due to the spin diffusion of non-equilibrium electrons. Using time dependent semi-classical theory as formulated in Zhang and Li [1] and the drift-diffusion model of transport it is shown that the voltage generated depends critically on the difference in the diffusion constants of up and down spins. Including spin relaxation results in a crucial contribution to the induced voltage. We also show that the presence of magnetisation textures results in the modification of the conductivity of the system. As an illustration, we calculate the voltage generated due to a time dependent field driven helimagnet by solving the Landau-Lifshitz equation with Gilbert damping and explicitly calculate the dependence on the relaxation and damping parameters.     

Effects of cross correlations between exchange and magnetic-anisotropy inhomogeneities on the spectrum and damping of spin waves

Effects of cross correlations between inhomogeneities of the exchange and magnetic-anisotropy parameters on the spectrum and damping of spin waves in a ferromagnet are investigated. One- and three-dimensional inhomogeneities are considered. It is demonstrated that the positive cross correlations lead to an increase in the modification of the dispersion law and the damping of spin waves. The negative cross correlations result in the opposite effects: a decrease in the modification of the dispersion law and a decrease in the damping of spin waves. A comparison of the specific features revealed in this work and the results of targeted experimental investigations of modifications of the dispersion laws and damping in inhomogeneous magnets would make it possible to determine the contribution of the cross correlations to the formation of the stochastically inhomogeneous ground state in amorphous magnetic alloys.     

Quantum spin dynamics of the bilayer ferromagnet La Sr Mn O

We construct a theory of spin wave excitations in the bilayer manganite La_1.2Sr_1.8Mn₂O₇ based on the simplest possible double-exchange model, but including leading quantum corrections to the spin wave dispersion and damping. Comparison is made with recent inelastic neutron scattering experiments. We find that quantum effects account for some part of the measured damping of spin waves, but cannot by themselves explain the observed softening of spin waves at the zone boundary. Furthermore a doping dependence of the total spin wave dispersion and the optical spin wave gap is predicted. Received 15 January 2002 Published online 6 June 2002     

Reflection and scattering of spin waves by surface roughness of a ferromagnet

Abstract

A detailed theory of volume spin wave reflection from the randomly rough surface of a ferromagnet is presented. The contribution to damping of the reflected wave is calculated. This contribution is due to the scattering of the initial volume wave into secondary surface and volume spin waves. The value of damping is proportional to the correlation length and the square of the roughness amplitude. Numerical calculations of the attenuation rate as a function of the angle of incidence and the ratio between the surface anisotropy and the wavenumber are provided. They yield the angle of incidence where the attenuation has a maximum. In analogy to optics, this angle is similar to the Brewster angle. Numerical estimations of damping and a comparison of its value with the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth are also made. Finally, the results of the calculation of the scattering of surface exchange spin waves by surface roughness are presented and discussed.     

Acoustic excitation of nuclear spin waves in the easy-plane antiferromagnetic material KMnF3

Ultrasound damping at T=4.2 K in single crystal easy-plane antiferromagnetic KMnF₃ is studied experimentally as a function of the magnitude and direction of a constant magnetic field H at frequencies of 640–670 MHz, corresponding to the frequencies of nuclear spin waves. Two experimental situations are examined: in the first, the vector H lies in the easy magnetization plane (001), and in the second, H forms an angle with (001). For longitudinal ultrasound waves propagating along the hard magnetization axis [001], it is found that the damping depends resonantly on the magnitude of the field H. In the first case a single damping maximum is observed, and in the second, two damping peaks that are well resolved with respect to the field. The angular dependence of the resonance damping signals on the direction of the constant magnetic field is found to have a 90° periodicity in all cases. The observed effects are explained by resonant ultrasonic excitation of nuclear spin waves. On the basis of an analysis of the magnetoacoustic interaction energy, it is shown that in the first case, nonzero oscillations of the antiferromagnetism vector L occur only in the basal plane, while in the second, oscillations of L occur both in the basal and a vertical plane, which are associated, respectively, with two branches of the nuclear spin waves. It is also shown that the 90° periodicity in the angular dependence of the damping signals is associated with a fourth order [001] axis. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 1830–1840 (November 1997)     

Incommensurate modulated magnetic structure in orthorhombic EuPdSb

Orthorhombic EuPdSb is known to undergo two magnetic transitions, at 12 K and at T _N≃ 18 K, and in phase III (T < 12 K), single crystal magnetisation data have shown that the spin structure is collinear antiferromagnetic, with magnetic moments along the crystal a axis. From a ¹⁵¹Eu M?ssbauer absorption study, we show that, at any temperature within phase III, all the moments have equal sizes, and that in phase II (12 K< T <18 K) the magnetic structure is modulated and incommensurate with the lattice spacings. The modulation is close to a pure sine-wave just below T _N = 18 K, and it squares up as temperature is lowered. We measured the thermal variations of the first and third harmonics of the moment modulation, and we could determine the first and third harmonics of the exchange coupling. We furthermore show that the antiferromagnetic-incommensurate transition at 12 K is strongly first order, with a hysteresis of 0.05 K, and that the incommensurate-paramagnetic transition at 18 K is weakly first order. Finally, we present an explanation of the spin-flop transition observed in the single crystal magnetisation data in phase III when || in terms of an anisotropic molecular field tensor. Received 17 January 2001 and Received in final form 20 March 2001     

Influence of Ga+ ion irradiation on the magnetisation reversal process and magnetoresistance in CoFe/Cu/CoFe/IrMn spin valves

Ga+ion irradiation is performed on the surfaces of IrMn-based spin valves and the effects of ion irradiation on the magnetisation reversal process and magnetoresistance(MR) are investigated.The results show that the exchange bias field and magnetoresistance ratio of the spin valve decrease with the increase of ion dose.The width of the forward step between the free layer and the pinned layer becomes gradually smaller with the increase of ion dose whilst the recoil step tends to be narrower with ion dose increasing up to 6×10 13 ions/cm 2 and the step disappears afterwards.Two peaks in the R-H curve are found to be asymmetric.     

Study of the spin reorientation phenomenon in Nd2(Fe, Si)14BHy

We have studied the influence of the Si for Fe substitution and of the H insertion on the spin reorientation phenomenon in the Nd₂Fe₁₄B phases. To determine the temperature of spin reorientation and the tilt angle between the c-axis and the easy magnetisation direction, we have measured the angular dependence of the components of the magnetisation vector. Our measurements are based on powder samples that have been previously aligned under an external magnetic field. The Si for Fe substitution induces a decrease of the spin reorientation temperature and of the tilt angle. Meanwhile, we have found that the tilt angles are almost the same for Nd₂Fe₁₃SiB and Nd₂Fe₁₂Si₂B. These features are analysed in terms of changes in the crystal electric field and the unit cell volume induced by the Si for Fe substitution. The insertion of hydrogen in the Si-containing samples leads to an additive decrease of the spin reorientation temperature. This decrease is not linked to a change in the tilt angle at 4 K but to a different thermal behaviour in the H-containing samples. The magnitude of the effects of H insertion on the crystal electric field in comparison with the Si for Fe substitution is discussed together with the role of the lattice expansion.     

Dynamics of two interacting dipoles

We study the deterministic spin dynamic of two interacting magnetic moments with anisotropy and dipolar interaction under the presence of an applied magnetic field, by using the Landau–Lifshitz equation with and without a damping term. Due to different kinds of interactions, different time scales appear: a long time scale associated with the dipolar interaction and a short time scale associated with the Zeeman interaction. We found that the total magnetization is not conserved; furthermore, for the non-dissipative case it is a fluctuating function of time, with a strong dependence on the strength of the dipolar term. In the dissipative case there is a transient time before the total magnetization reaches its constant value. We examine this critical time as a function of the distance between the magnetic moments and the phenomenological damping coefficient, and found that it strongly depends on these control parameters.     

A model of the T-dependent pseudogap and its competition with superconductivity in copper oxides

Results for pseudogaps are obtained from a band model, where the stability of the gap depends on the amplitudes of vibrational displacements, or magnetic moments, and their coupling to electrons. A one-particle gap is favored by normal thermal excitations of phonons or spin waves. Another gap can be generated by spontaneous waves at lower temperature, if the electronic energy gain overcomes the elastic/magnetic energy needed for increased amplitudes of the oscillations. This state is characterized by charge or spin density waves. The pseudogap has many features in common with the superconducting gap, and the model lends support to the interpretation that the pseudogap is a precursor of, and competes with, superconducting pairing.