Field dependence of spin and orbital moments of Fe in L10 FePt magnetic thin films

The field dependence of spin and orbital magnetic moments of Fe in L1₀ FePt magnetic thin films was investigated using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The spin and orbital moments were calculated using the sum rules; it was found that the spin and orbital moment of Fe in L1₀ FePt films are ∼2.5 and 0.2 μ_B, respectively. The relative XMCD asymmetry at Fe L₃ peak on the dependence of applied field suggested that the majority magnetic moment of L1₀ FePt films resulted from Fe.     

Ground-State-Moment-Analysis: A quantitative tool for X-ray magnetic circular dichroism analysis for <Emphasis Type="Italic">3d</Emphasis> transition metals

By the use of sum rules and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) integral spectral values, experimentally determined element specific spin- and orbital-magnetic moments could be extracted. Therefore, sum rules neglect all additional spectral shape information. On the basis of so called ground state moments and their spectral representations, XMCD spectra could be fitted. The gain of information due to this method is directly related to the analysis of the spectral shape. Simple and complex spectra, with many different observable spectral features, could be quantitatively analyzed. Different unoccupied parts of the bandstructure have been resolved and intuitively interpreted by the moment analysis procedure. Focusing on this fitting method, we will review recent applications to Iron-Garnets and CrO₂ and show new results for Fe-, Mn-, and V-L_2,3 XMCD spectra. In addition, spectral overlap between the L₂ and L₃ edges at the light transition metal site could be handled by this method, and quantitative magnetic moments have been extracted from the spectra. This is the basis for a possible future element specific renormalization technique, used for the whole series of the transition metals, which is very important at the light transition metal site. PACS 87.64.Ni; 75.70.-i; 75.50.Cc; 75.70.Ak     

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism sum rule correction for the light transition metals

Distinguishable L₂ and L₃ edges and a clear separation into j _3/2 and j _1/2 excitations are necessary for the application of L_2,3 edge X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) sum rules, which provide element-specific information about spin and orbital magnetic moments. This separation is present for the heavy transition metals (TM), like Co and Ni, due to their large L_2,3 spin–orbit splitting. However, for the light TM, the 2p spin–orbit splitting is strongly reduced and quantum mechanical mixing of j _3/2 and j _1/2 excitations is present. This mixing reduces the observed XMCD related spin and magnetic dipole term contributions and prevents the direct application of XMCD spin sum rules. A large number of 2p?→?3d absorption spectra have been fitted nearly perfectly by a simple and phenomenological model, which takes into account lifetime effects and provides quantitative information about jj-mixing at the light TMs. On the basis of this mixing coefficient, sum rule correction factors have been determined. The proposed model results in renormalized magnetic projected XMCD spin moments, verified for different compounds of V, Cr, and Mn. A comparison with complementary methods gives consistent results. This or a similar fitting procedure and the estimated correction factors can be used in the future as a light element XMCD spin renormalization technique.     

利用X射线磁性圆二色吸收谱计算3d过渡族磁性原子的轨道和自旋磁矩

在4个方面研究了实验数据的预处理和应用加和定则中的问题.1)外磁场对样品电流法测量的吸收谱强度的影响.发现外磁场H<200×10^-4T时，信号强度正比于H^-β；当H>200×10^-4T时，尽管外磁场继续增加，但信号强度基本保持不变.2)不同方向的电磁铁剩磁会导致吸收谱的分离.这种分离与入射光的偏振态和样品的磁性无关，可以通过乘以一个常数很好地消除这种分离.3)通过XPSPEAK 4.1对实验数据拟合，写出了吸收谱的解析函数.利用解析函数的积分值，建立一种相对“客观"的标准，判断在一定的实验条件下，不同的数值积分方法的准确性.4)以误差函数作为吸收谱的背景函数，建立了一套完整的X射线磁性圆二色的数据处理方法.最后用Bode积分法计算出20nm厚Co膜的轨道和自旋磁矩分别为0.141μ_B和1.314μ_B. 关键词： X射线磁性圆二色 加和定则 台阶函数 吸收谱拟合     

Electronic and magnetic properties of CeAl2 nanoparticles

We presented the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies of heavy fermion compound CeAl₂ bulk and 8 nm nanoparticles, performed at the Ce M_4,5- and L₃- absorption edges. XMCD and XAS revealed that Ce in bulk CeAl₂ exhibits localized 4f¹ character with magnetic ordering. The Ce in nanoparticles, on the other hand, shows a small amount delocalized 4f⁰ character with non-magnetic Kondo behavior. By applying general sum rules, an estimation of the orbital and spin contribution to those Ce 4f moments can be obtained. Our results also demonstrated that the magnetic behavior in CeAl₂ is very sensitive to the degree of localization of the 4f electrons.     

Comment on the analysis of angle-dependent X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in systems with reduced dimensionality

The magnetic dipole term T appearing in the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spin sum rule can be eliminated from the analysis within the spin sum rule by angle-dependent XMCD spectroscopy if the effects of spin–orbit coupling are small so that T_x+T_y+T_z≈0. It is shown by the ab initio electron theory for the extreme case of a low-dimensional system, i.e., for a free-standing monatomic Co wire that this relation is strongly violated, indicating that the determination of T by the angle-dependent XMCD is possibly not very reliable for low-dimensional magnetic systems.     

Disentanglement of magnetic contributions in multi‐component systems by using X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism at a single absorption edge

X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) has become in recent years an outstanding tool for studying magnetism. Its element specificity, inherent to core‐level spectroscopy, combined with the application of magneto‐optical sum rules allows quantitative magnetic measurements at the atomic level. These capabilities are now incorporated as a standard tool for studying the localized magnetism in many systems. However, the application of XMCD to the study of the conduction‐band magnetism is not so straightforward. Here, it is shown that the atomic selectivity is not lost when XMCD probes the delocalized states. On the contrary, it provides a direct way of disentangling the magnetic contributions to the conduction band coming from the different elements in the material. This is demonstrated by monitoring the temperature dependence of the XMCD spectra recorded at the rare‐earth L₂‐edge in the case of RT₂ (R = rare‐earth, T = 3d transition metal) materials. These results open the possibility of performing element‐specific magnetometry by using a single X‐ray absorption edge.     

Spin Structure of Baryons in Orbiting Valence Quark Model

The quark model with orbital motion of the valence quarks is constructed to reproduce the spin structure of baryons. The relations between the spin-averaged sum rules and baryon magnetic moments found in the previous works do not remain, unless the small orbital magnetic moments are neglected. In particular, when the orbital motion of the valence quarks leads to the small contribution of quark orbit-spin to baryon magnetic moments, the sum rules for polarized nucleon are in agreement with the recent experiment.     

Some consequences of relativistic effects upon optical spectra

Large spin–orbit interaction produces large orbital magnetic moments in narrow energy bands. Since the orbital character of the wave functions is more important in orbital than in spin magnetism, the limitations of the local spin density approximation become evident. It is possible to keep the orbital dependence of the exchange interactions by using an orbital polarization scheme or by using Hartree–Fock theory with screened Slater integrals for exchange. This leads to an enhancement of the calculated orbital moment when the magnetism is strong. Recently calculated magnetic moments and calculated sum rules for X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in US are described. Received: 23 May 2001 / Accepted: 4 July 2001 / Published online: 5 October 2001     

X-ray circular magnetic dichroism in the presence of strong spin fluctuations

The use of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra for determininghe t magnitude of atomic magnetic moments in compounds of rare-earth and transition elements is discussed. The standard sum rule approach often yields a magnitude of moments that is often smaller than values obtained from magnetic measurements. We attribute this to strong spin fluctuations in the surface layers in which XMCD signals form. A way of determining the values of local magnetic moments in the presence of strong fluctuations is proposed and tested.     

The effect of strain and interfaces on the orbital moment in Fe/V superlattices

The dependence of the Fe orbital moment on strain and interfaces in Fe/V superlattices has been investigated by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The orbital moment was determined to be lower at the interfaces than in the bulk, which we attribute to Fe–V hybridization. An enhancement of the orbital moment with increasing strain in the Fe layers was observed. This enhancement is attributed to an unquenching of the orbital moment. Consequently, the orbital moment of Fe in Fe/V is concluded to be influenced by two competing parameters. It is lowered by increasing interface density, and enhanced by increasing strain.     

Soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism of Heusler-type alloy Co2MnGe

Co and Mn 2p core absorption (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra have been measured for the ferromagnetic ternary alloy Co₂MnGe. The observed Co 2p XAS spectrum can be understood on the basis of the unoccupied Co 3d partial density of states, whereas the overall features of the Mn 2p XAS and XMCD spectra have been partly reproduced by the Mn 2p⁵3d⁶ final state multiplets. We have found that the orbital polarization of the Co 3d and even the Mn 3d states are recognizable, which suggests that a spin-orbit coupling should be taken into account in the energy band structure in order to reproduce the half metallic nature of this alloy.     

Strong anisotropy of projected 3d moments in epitaxial CrO2 films

Soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra have been investigated for different crystallographic projections of CrO2. Strong anisotropic orbital Cr 3d contributions and a change of sign of the XMCD signal is observed and attributed to t(2g) majority states near the Fermi level. Additionally, moment analysis exhibits anisotropic behavior in the projected spin contributions of CrO2 assigned to a strong magnetic dipole term T(z), consistent with an intrinsic magnetic easy axis behavior along the CrO2 [001] axis. A reduced projected isotropic Cr 3d spin moment has been interpreted in terms of hybridization with oxygen.     

Effect of surface chemisorption on the spin reorientation transition in magnetic ultrathin Fe film on Ag(0 0 1)

We have investigated the effect of surface chemisorption on the spin reorientation transitions in magnetic ultrathin Fe films on Ag(0 0 1) by means of the polar and longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements. It is found by the MOKE that adsorption of O₂ and NO induces the shift of the critical thickness for the transitions to a thinner side, together with the suppression of the remanent magnetization and the coercive field of the Fe film. This implies destabilization of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. On the other hand, H₂ adsorption is found not to change the magnetic anisotropy, though the enhancement of the coercive field is observed. The XMCD reveals that although both the spin and orbital magnetic moments along the surface normal are noticeably reduced upon O₂ and NO adsorption, the reduction of the orbital magnetic moments are more significant. This indicates that the destabilization of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy upon chemisorption of O₂ and NO originates from the change of the spin-orbit interaction at the surface.     

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements in Ni up to 200 GPa: resistant ferromagnetism

The structural stability of fcc Ni over a very large pressure range offers a unique opportunity to experimentally investigate how magnetism is modified by simple compression. K-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) shows that fcc Ni is ferromagnetic up to 200 GPa, contradicting recent predictions of an abrupt transition to a paramagnetic state at 160 GPa. Density functional theory calculations point out that the pressure evolution of the K-edge XMCD closely follows that of the p projected orbital moment rather than that of the total spin moment. The disappearance of magnetism in Ni is predicted to occur above 400 GPa.     

Electronic and Magnetic States of Pr and Mn in the Pr<Subscript>1–<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Sr<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> Films Studied by XANES and XMCD Spectroscopy

The spectral dependences of X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and the field dependences of XMCD near the K edge of Mn and the L_2,3 edges of Pr in the Pr_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ and Pr_0.6Sr_0.4MnO₃ films at T = 90 K are studied. The spectral dependences point to a mixed valence state of Mn and Pr in the films. It is found that, as compared to XANES, XMCD is more sensitive to the valence state of Pr⁴⁺. The field dependences of XMCD point to ferromagnetic behavior of Mn ions and the Van Vleck paramagnetism of Pr ions, which makes a significant contribution to the total magnetization of the films. It is shown that as the Sr concentration increases, the XMCD intensity at the K edge of Mn increases, which indicates a growth of the total magnetic moment of the film due to an increase in the 4p–3d hybridization.     

X-ray detected magnetic resonance at the Fe K-edge in YIG: Forced precession of magnetically polarized orbital components

X-ray detected magnetic resonance (XDMR) has been measured for the first time on exciting the Fe K-edge in a high-quality yttrium iron garnet film epitaxially grown on a gadolinium gallium garnet substrate. This challenging experiment required resonant pumping of yttrium iron garnet at high microwave power, i.e., in the foldover regime. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) was used to probe the change in the longitudinal component of the magnetization M _Z induced by the precession of magnetic moments located at the iron sites. Since XMCD at the Fe K-edge refers mostly to the equilibrium contribution of magnetically polarized 4p orbital components, XDMR at the Fe K-edge should reflect the precessional dynamics of the latter orbital moments. From the measured precession angle, we show that there is no dynamical quenching of the polarized orbital components at the iron sites in yttrium iron garnet.     

软x射线磁性圆二色吸收谱研究铁单晶薄膜的面内磁各向异性

利用软x射线磁性圆二色(XMCD)吸收谱测得Fe/MgO膜不同磁化方向的轨道磁矩和自旋磁矩.实 验表明，沿铁单晶薄膜的不同方向，铁原子轨道磁矩的改变量达到600%以上，而自旋磁矩的 变化约50%，但原子的总磁矩没有如此大的改变.结合常规方法分析了铁薄膜的宏观磁各向异 性性质，半定量地获得磁矩与宏观各向异性能的关系，并对样品的磁矩和磁各向异性能进行 了比较. 关键词： x射线磁性圆二色 磁各向异性 磁性薄膜     

Mn distribution and spin polarization in Ga(1-x)Mn x As

Using the density functional full-potential linearized augmented plane wave approach, the x-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra of Ga(1-x)Mn x As are calculated. Significantly, XMCD of Mn is highly sensitive to the change in environment, and thus can be utilized to characterize impurity distribution. The nature of Mn-induced spin polarization on Ga and As sites, vital for the carrier mediated magnetic ordering, is discussed in light of computational and experimental results.     

Tuning the coercive field of Ni and CuNi thin films with the embedding of Co nanoparticles: An element-specific study

Cobalt nanoparticles have been embedded either within magnetic thin films of CuNi or Ni, or at their interface with an Al capping layer. Soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) was used to measure element-specific hysteresis loops, allowing discrimination between the nanoparticles and the host film. The hysteresis shows coupling between the nanoparticles and the films and a reduction in coercivity is observed when positioning the nanoparticles within the film, as opposed to at its interface with the cap. Sum rule analysis of the XMCD spectra makes it possible to determine the orbital to spin moment ratios for Co and Ni in the samples. The difference in the calculated ratios is consistent with the differences in the coercivities, the films appearing more homogenous due to hybridization of the 3d bands of Co and Ni when the nanoparticles are embedded deeper within the films, creating less pinning sites and hence a lower coercivity.