Propagation of zero-exchange spin waves in ferrite films with domain structure

The existence regions and the dispersion relation for zero-exchange spin waves in the presence of symmetric and asymmetric domain structures in yttrium iron garnet films are investigated. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 7, 544–548 (10 April 1996)     

Hysteresis of the characteristics of magnetostatic waves in ferrite films with stripe domains whose magnetization vectors are oriented close to the plane of the film

The propagation of zero-exchange spin waves (magnetostatic waves) is investigated in yttrium iron garnet films having a regular stripe domain structure with almost in-plane orientation of the domain magnetization vectors. The characteristics of the waves are studied for magnetizations of the film parallel and perpendicular to projections of the [111] crystallographic axes onto the plane of the film. It is established, in contrast with films having the domain magnetization vectors oriented close to the normal to the plane of the film, that both the propagation of magnetostatic waves and the variation of the parameters of the domain structure exhibit a distinctly pronounced hysteretic character as the magnetizing field is varied. The hysteresis of the amplitude-frequency response, equiphase, and dispersion curves of the magnetostatic waves is investigated. The authors examine how the hysteresis of these parameters is related to the hysteresis of the domain structure. The spectrum of magnetostatic waves is found to have an interval of wavelengths (wave numbers) that are not excited in the unsaturated film when the applied field is close to the saturation value, and this phenomenon as well exhibits hysteresis. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 114, 1430–1450 (October 1998)     

Solitary flexural waves on a supersonic domain wall in yttrium orthoferrite

Solitary flexural waves on a supersonic domain wall in yttrium orthoferrite are observed and investigated. These waves have a sharp leading edge and a protracted trailing edge, reminiscent of the waves accompanying moving vertical Bloch lines in iron garnet films. The total velocity of the solitary flexural waves in yttrium orthoferrites for all observed amplitudes equals the maximum velocity of the domain walls. Two solitary waves with identical amplitudes colliding head-on are annihilated. The waves possess topological charges, and they move and form dynamic profiles under the influence of gyroscopic forces. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 65, No. 10, 760–765 (25 May 1997)     

Influence of induced uniaxial anisotropy on the domain structure and phase transitions of yttrium-iron garnet films

The effect of induced uniaxial anisotropy on the properties and parameters of the domain structure and phase transitions in yttrium-iron garnet (YIG) films is investigated. Based on the measurements and the derived formulas we determine the difference between the magnetization and the uniaxial anisotropy field for each of the films. We have also measured the parameters of the domain structures and phase transitions of the films for the magnetization parallel and perpendicular to the projections of the [111] crystallographic axes onto the plane of the film. We find that films of pure YIG films grown in (111) are characterized by the existence of some critical value of the uniaxial anisotropy field. It is found that for films in which the uniaxial anisotropy field is larger than this critical value and films in which it is less than this critical value, such parameters of the domain structures as the ratio of the width of the domains to the film thickness, the orientation of the magnetization of the domains, the orientation of the domain boundaries, and the magnitudes of the phase transition fields differ substantially. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 2034–2041 (November 1999)     

Symmetry breaking in tunnel junctions between partially dielectrized metals with charge or spin density waves

Tunnel current-voltage characteristics are calculated for symmetric junctions between metals waves of with charge or spin density that have equal absolute values |Σ| of the dielectric order parameter. The possibility of different signs for Σ on opposite sides of the junction is considered. As a result, the current-voltage characteristics are highly asymmetric. The predicted effect is a new example of symmetry breaking in many particle systems and makes it possible to explain some experimental data for symmetric URu₂Si₂-URu₂Si₂ microjunctions. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 385–388 (March 1998)     

Josephson and quasiparticle currents in tunneling junctions between partially dielectrized (partially gapped) superconductors with spin density waves

The current-voltage characteristics (CVC) are calculated for the Josephson, interference, and quasiparticle components of the current through a tunneling junction formed by two superconductors with spin density waves (SDW). The treatment is based on the model of partial dielectrization (gapping) of the Fermi surface and the assumption of pinning of the spin density waves. The following particular cases are studied in detail: asymmetric SDW superconductor-ordinary superconductor junctions and symmetric junctions between two identical SDW superconductors. The positions and nature of the singularities in the CVC are determined. For a symmetric contact the possibility of the existence of asymmetric CVC’s is predicted. The calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimentally observed behavior of the CVC’s of tunneling junctions and microcontacts containing the SDW superconductor with heavy fermions URu₂Si₂. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1743–1749 (October 1999)     

Influence of domain boundary width on the statics of 90° domains in epitaxial ferroelectric thin films

The influence of the domain boundary width on the statics of single 90° elastic domains (twins) in epitaxial ferroelectric tetragonal films grown on a cubic substrate is theoretically investigated. The inhomogeneous internal stresses arising in polydomain epitaxial systems are calculated by the effective dislocation method. The elastic energy stored in the heterostructure is determined. The equilibrium domain size is found and the stability diagram for single domains at different wall widths is constructed by minimizing the total internal energy of the system. It is demonstrated that, as the domain boundary width 2w increases, the stability region of 90° domains increases and qualitatively changes for ultrathin films when the parameter 2w exceeds the specific critical value 2w _cr. The equilibrium width 2w* of domain walls in thin films is predicted to be larger compared to the width 2w ₀ of domain boundaries in a macroscopic crystal.     

Stability diagram for elastic domains in epitaxial ferroelectric thin films

The statics of isolated elastic domains (twins) in epitaxial thin tetragonal films grown on a cubic substrate is investigated theoretically. Different possible variants of the geometric shape of a domain are studied: plate, trapezoidal, and triangular. The nonuniform internal stresses, which also exist in polydomain epitaxial systems, are calculated by the effective-dislocation method. Hence the elastic energies stored in heterostructures with different domains are determined. The equilibrium width of a domain is calculated by minimizing the total internal energy of the heterostructure. Next, the stability diagram for isolated domains in epitaxial films is constructed from energy considerations. It is shown that in a large part of this diagram trapezoidal domains are energetically more advantageous than plate-shaped domains. The effect of an external electric field on the stability of 90° domains in epitaxial ferroelectric films is investigated. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 127–134 (January 1997)     

Spin-wave diffraction in a homogeneous ferromagnetic layer

The authors report theoretical and experimental research on diffraction effects associated with the excitation and propagation of surface spin waves. Expressions are derived for the Green's matrix of a point source of surface spin waves in the far-field region, and a simple scalar form of notation for the Green's function of a point source in an anisotropic medium is proposed. This form can be used to calculate the far diffraction field of an arbitrary planar antenna. The Green's functions obtained for the point source are used to calculate the radiation patterns of linear microstrip transducers, as well as the fraction of energy picked up by an analogous transducer positioned opposite the radiating transducer in the far-field region. The computational method is used to reduce the error in local monitoring of the quality of yttrium-iron garnet (YIG) films by the double-measurement method. The authors present the results of an experimental study of the dispersion characteristics of surface spin waves for different angles between andH _i, as well as a theoretical and experimental study of transducers that focus surface spin waves.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 4, pp. 32–48, April, 1989.The authors would like to thank S. G. Suchkov and Yu. A. Zyuryukin for valuable comments during a discussion of the results.     

Influence of cubic anisotropy on the temperature characteristics of magnetostatic waves in ferrite films magnetized in the film plane

Expressions for the temperature coefficients of frequency for magnetostatic waves in tangentially magnetized ferrite films having cubic anisotropy are obtained and analyzed. It is shown that in cases where the cubic axis lies in the plane of the film, temperature-induced changes in both the magnitude and direction of the external field can be used for thermostabilization of the frequencies. The problem of two-frequency thermostabilization is considered. The results of experimental investigations of the temperature characteristics of magnetization waves in a tangentially magnetized film of yttrium iron garnet with a {100} surface are presented. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 99–103 (October 1998)     

Diffraction of picosecond bulk longitudinal and shear waves in micron thick films

Investigation of thin metallic film properties by means of picosecond ultrasonics [C. Thomsen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 989 (1984)] has been under the scope of several studies. Generation of longitudinal and shear waves [T. Pézeril et al., Phys. Rev. B 73, 132301 (2006); O. Matsuda et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 095501 (2004)] with a wave vector normal to the film free surface has been demonstrated. Such measurements cannot provide complete information about properties of anisotropic films. Extreme focusing of a laser pump beam (≈0.5 μm) on the sample surface has recently allowed us to provide evidence of picosecond acoustic diffraction in thin metallic films (≈1 μm) [C. Rossignol et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 166106 (2005)]. The resulting longitudinal and shear wavefronts propagate at group velocity through the bulk of the film. To interpret the received signals, source directivity diagrams are calculated taking into account material anisotropy, optical penetration, and laser beam width on the sample surface. It is shown that acoustic diffraction increases with optical penetration, so competing with the increasing of directivity caused by beam width. Reflection with mode conversion at the film-substrate interface is discussed.     

A neutron reflectometry study of polystyrene network interfaces

We have used neutron reflectometry to measure interfacial widths between two polystyrene films, where either one or both films are crosslinked. The observed interfacial width between two networks is larger than the size expected for “dangling ends”, which suggests motion of heterogeneous regions of the networks. In the case when one of the networks is replaced by a linear polymer, the interfacial profile can be asymmetric with a diffusion “front” of linear polymer penetrating the network to a length scale of up to 200 ?. In the case of a more densely crosslinked network and a high molecular weight linear polymer the interface is symmetric implying negligible penetration. Received: 4 December 1996 / Revised: 13 October 1997 / Accepted: 23 December 1997     

High-Order Nonreflecting Boundary Conditions without High-Order Derivatives

A wave problem in an unbounded domain is often treated numerically by truncating the infinite domain via an artificial boundary , imposing a so-called nonreflecting boundary condition (NRBC) on , and then solving the problem numerically in the finite domain bounded by . A general approach is devised here to construct high-order local NRBCs with a symmetric structure and with only low (first- or second-) order spatial and/or temporal derivatives. This enables the practical use of NRBCs of arbitrarily high order. In the case of time-harmonic waves with finite element discretization, the approach yields a symmetric C⁰ finite element formulation in which standard elements can be employed. The general methodology is presented for both the time-harmonic case (Helmholtz equation) and the time-dependent case (the wave equation) and is demonstrated numerically in the former case.     

Effect of dispersion of orthorhombic anisotropy fields on the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth in iron garnet films

The effect of the dispersion of anisotropy fields on the width of the ferromagnetic resonance line is calculated in films with orthorhombic anisotropy. The results of the calculation, based on a model of linear variation of the anisotropy fields with thickness and on the assumption of additivity of the different contributions to the resulting linewidth, are in good agreement with experimental results. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 131–134 (August 1997)     

Determination of refractive indices and thickness of absorbing crystalline thin films by using prism coupler

Abstract

An improved method has been implemented to study the refection of optical plane waves from anisotropic and absorbing films. The refection from anisotropic non-absorbing films and from isotropic non-absorbing films can be shown as some special cases. The method in this paper can be applied to almost all kinds of materials involved in optical films and integrated optics studies. Guided waves in the anisotropic and absorbing waveguides are determined, and the prism coupler method is employed to determine refractive indices and thickness of the anisotropic and absorbing films. The results show that when we only couple light beams into films with small effective indices, the effect of the absorption can be neglected.     

Linear and nonlinear intersubband optical absorption in symmetric double semi-parabolic quantum wells

The linear and the nonlinear intersubband optical absorption in the symmetric double semi-parabolic quantum wells are investigated for typical GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs. Energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of an electron confined in finite potential double quantum wells are calculated by numerical methods from Schrödinger equation. Optical properties are obtained using the compact density matrix approach. In this work, the effects of the barrier width, the well width and the incident optical intensity on the optical properties of the symmetric double semi-parabolic quantum wells are investigated. Our results show that not only optical incident intensity but also structure parameters such as the barrier and the well width really affect the optical characteristics of these structures.     

Unusual characteristics of the spin-wave mechanism of domain-wall motion in iron-garnet films with orthorhombic magnetic anisotropy

The extraordinary dynamic properties of single-crystal iron garnet films with magnetic anisotropy in the plane of the film, specifically unidirectional anisotropy of the domain-wall velocity, are explained on the basis of a mechanism of domain-wall motion that incorporates local rotation of the magnetization vector ahead of the moving domain wall, induced by spin waves radiated from the wall and by anisotropy of the dissipative properties of the single-crystal iron garnet film in its plane. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1421–1427 (August 1997)     

Anomalies of attenuation and phase velocity of surface acoustic waves in YBa2Cu3O7‒δ thin films in the vicinity of Tc

We present measurements of the attenuation and phase velocity of surface acoustic waves in thin YBa₂Cu₃O films as a function of temperature, in magnetic fields up to 3.6 T applied parallel to the c-axis of the films. We have observed anomalies in both, the attenuation and the phase velocity in the vicinity of the superconducting critical temperature which do not depend on the magnetic field. Possible origins of these anomalies, observed, to our knowledge, for the first time in YBa₂Cu₃O thin films, are discussed and compared to bulk acoustic wave experiments. We present a kind of feedback technique for surface acoustic waves which improves the sensitivity of this type of measurement. The actual sensitivity limits are mentioned. Received: 7 August 1997 / Revised: 7 November 1997 / Accepted: 17 November 1997     

Anisotropy of magnetoelastic wave attenuation in (111) crystal plates with combined anisotropy

The effect of dissipation on the propagation of magnetoacoustic waves in a cubic ferromagnet under the action of applied stress σ ∥ [111] is studied theoretically. When the ferromagnet is in one of two symmetric phases (M ₀ ∥ [111] or M ₀ ∥ [110]), the magnetoelastic waves weakly decay and may transform into modes of another type as the material approaches the point of spin-reorientation transition. It is also found that the propagation velocity and attenuation rate of quasi-phonons exhibit anisotropy, which can be controlled by the applied stress.     

Parametric interaction of magnetostatic waves with a nonstationary local pump

A solution is obtained for the general problem of the nonstationary interaction of backward volume magnetostatic waves in films of yttrium-iron garnet with local parametric pumping. In the case of a large pump region, l≫λ, where λ is the wavelength of the backward volume magnetostatic waves, the problem reduces to a system of truncated equations for two packets of counter propagating waves. In the opposite case, l<λ, the exact problem of parametric interactions of the eigenmodes of a ferrite film (both counterpropagating and in the same direction) is solved numerically. Both cases are studied experimentally and good qualitative and quantitative agreement is obtained with the theory. For the first time, the reversal of a wave front and the time reversal of the shape of backward volume magnetostatic wave pulses are observed and a change in the propagation time for the peak of the signal pulse and a reduction in its width owing to pumping are recorded. Two operating regimes are identified for a nonstationary parametric backward volume magnetostatic wave amplifier with local pumping, which differ in the ratio of the duration of the pump pulse to the transit time for the wave through the local pump region, and the effect of the parametric excitation of two-dimensional spin waves on the interaction of backward volume magnetostatic waves with a local nonstationary parametric pump is determined. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 2192–2211 (December 1999)