Magnetization reversal in exchange biased Co/CoO patterns

The influence of patterning on exchange bias has been investigated using arrays of micron-sized Co/CoO dots with different lateral confinement and length-to-width ratio. The patterned samples show higher coercive and exchange bias fields than a continuous Co/CoO bilayer. As in unpatterned film, magnetization reversal mechanisms on opposite sides of the hysteresis loops of the microstructured samples are different. However, with the increase of lateral confinement and shape anisotropy of the dots, the asymmetry in the magnetization reversal starts to differ from that observed in continuous Co/CoO films.     

Magnetization reversal of microsized Fe elliptic rings

We report on the magnetization reversal of elliptic ring patterns lithographically prepared from Fe films. The elliptic rings in four different arrays are all of the same size , but their geometry is disturbed by introducing an increasing number of slits into the rings. The magnetization reversal is studied by regular longitudinal vector magneto-optical Kerr effect in specular geometry as well as in Bragg geometry, using the diffraction spots from the grating for hysteresis measurements. The measurements are compared with the results of micromagnetic simulation, which allow a detailed interpretation of the experimental data. We find that the remagnetization process in an external magnetic field is characterized by single-step switching or double switching depending on the geometry of the structure.     

Magnetization reversal of individual Co nanoislands

We investigate the magnetization reversal of individual Co islands on Cu(111) in the size range of N=700 to 18,000 atoms by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy at 8 K. The switching field H(sw) changes with island size in a nonmonotonic manner: it increases with island size and reaches a maximum value of 2.4 T at N=5500 atoms, and it decreases for larger islands. We extract the energy barrier for magnetization reversal as a function of island size. The maximum H(sw) corresponds to an energy barrier of 1 eV. Our results elucidate a crossover of the magnetization reversal from an exchange-spring behavior to domain wall formation with increasing size at around 7500 atoms.     

Magnetization reversal process in thin Co nanowires

The magnetoresistance of single Co nanowires of various widths is investigated at low temperatures applying magnetic fields μ₀H up to 4.5 T. The in-plane longitudinal magnetoresistance shows pronounced features at coercive fields H_c explained by the anisotropic magnetoresistance indicating the magnetization reversal process. Monte Carlo simulations present the magnetization distribution during the reversal process, revealing different mechanisms depending on the wire width.     

Magnetization reversal and domains structures in (Co/Ni/Co/Pt) multilayers

Multilayers of [Co/Ni(t_Ni)/Co/Pt]_×4 are investigated for different Ni insertion layer thicknesses. The resulting magnetic properties and magnetic domain structures are compared with [Co/Ni]_×8 multilayers. As determined by magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy and a vibrating sample magnetometer measurements, all multilayers exhibited a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. It is found that the nucleation field and magnetic coercivity of [Co/Ni(t)/Co/Pt]_×4 multilayers are lower than (Co/Ni)_×8 and decreased with Ni thickness. Magnetization decay measurements reveal that these multilayers did not show an exponential decay behavior as was observed in rare earth transition metal alloys. Very narrow wires will remain stables for several hours even with an applied magnetic field closer to the coercivity. Insertion of very thin Ni in (Co/Pt) multilayers offers a good way to optimize the magnetic properties of the material and adjust the domain size for nanowire-based devices.     

Magnetization reversal dynamics in Co nanowires with competing magnetic anisotropies

We present the magnetization reversal dynamics of Co nanowires with competing magnetic anisotropies. The aspect ratio (R) of the nanowires is varied between 2.5 and 60, and we observe a cross-over of the directions of the magnetic easy and hard axes at R=6.8. Micromagnetic simulations qualitatively reproduce the observed cross-over and give detailed insight into the reversal mechanisms associated with the cross-over. The reversal mechanism for a field applied along the long axis of the nanowire exhibits a quasi-coherent rotation mode and a corkscrew-like mode, respectively, above and below the cross-over, with the formation of a Bloch domain near the cross-over region. For a field applied along the short axis, the reversal occurs by nucleation and propagation of reversed domains from the two ends of the nanowires for very high values of the aspect ratio down to the cross-over region, but it transforms into quasi-coherent rotation mode for smaller aspect ratios (below the cross-over region).     

Magnetization reversal of a single cobalt cluster using a RF field pulse

Technological improvements require the understanding of dynamical magnetization reversal processes at the nanosecond time scales. In this paper, we present the first magnetization reversal measurements performed on a single cobalt cluster (counting only a thousand of spins), using the micro-superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) technique by applying a constant magnetic field combined with a radio-frequency (RF) field pulse. First of all, we present the different technical steps necessary to detect the magnetic reversals at low temperature (T=35 mK) of a well-defined nanoparticle prepared by low energy clusters beam deposition (LECBD). We previously showed that the three-dimensional (3D)-switching Stoner-Wohlfarth astroid represents the magnetic anisotropy of the nanoparticle. Then, an improved device coupled with a gold stripe line, allow us to reverse such macrospin, using a RF pulse. A qualitative understanding of the magnetization reversal by non-linear resonance has been obtained with the Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation.     

Magnetization reversal of small particles in an oscillating magnetic field

The nonlinear behavior of single spherical particles and many-particle ensembles under an external oscillating magnetic field was studied using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert approach. The exact analytical formulae for calculating field frequency and the dependence of the configuration of the initial moment on the system mean magnetization were obtained. Using asymptotic decomposition we obtained simple expressions for describing the nonlinear dynamics of spherical particles in the cases of large and small frequencies. These solutions are in good agreement with numerical calculations of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for the considering systems.     

Magnetization reversal of ferromagnetic nanoparticles under inhomogeneous magnetic field

We investigated remagnetization processes in ferromagnetic nanoparticles under inhomogeneous magnetic field induced by the tip of magnetic force microscope (MFM) in both theoretical and empirical ways. Systematic MFM observations were carried out on arrays of submicron-sized elliptical ferromagnetic particles of Co and FeCr with different sizes and periods. It clearly reveals the distribution of remanent magnetization and processes of local remagnetization of individual ferromagnetic particles. Modeling of remagnetization processes in ferromagnetic nanoparticles under magnetic field induced by MFM probe was performed on the base of Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation for magnetization. MFM-induced inhomogeneous magnetic field is very effective to control the magnetic state of individual ferromagnetic nanoparticles as well as to create different distribution of magnetic field in array of ferromagnetic nanoparticles.     

Magnetization reversal by a single pulse of magnetic field or spin-polarized current

One of the important requirements for spintronic devices concerns an efficient magnetization reversal, which may eventually lead to ultra-fast non-volatile magnetic memory applications. In particular, it is necessary to achieve stable sub-nanosecond switching times and to reduce magnetization “ringing”, so that the reversal will proceed along the shortest ballistic path connecting the initial and the target magnetization states. This paper is dedicated to the numerical simulations of a mono-domain ferromagnetic particle, described by the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation. We study the general case of arbitrary orientation of the applied field/current pulses, constructing dynamic diagrams for the reversal time. We have found that even short 50 ps pulses, applied at a proper angle, will induce magnetization reversal with minimal ringing effects.     

Magnetization reversal and spin accumulation in nonmagnetic metals by spin injection from lateral Co/Cu,Co/Al heterojunctions

We have fabricated ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic (FM/NM) metal heterojunctions for the detection of the spin accumulation effect in different nonmagnetic metals. To understand the effect of spin accumulation in more detail, the switching behavior of the ferromagnetic wires was studied by means of magnetoresistance (MR) measurements and Monte Carlo simulations (MC). The polycrystalline heterojunctions were prepared by high-resolution electron beam lithography (HR-EBL) and a special oblique evaporation technique. The ferromagnetic (FM) and the nonmagnetic (NM) metal were evaporated on top of each other in a single-evaporation step to achieve an interface between the two metals of high quality. To verify the quality of the interface, we measured the spin accumulation effect in nonmagnetic copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al) and determined the spin polarization of the current at the interface between the ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic metals.     

Magnetization reversal in a novel gradient nanomaterial

The deposition of Co/Pd multilayer films onto self-assembled particle arrays with particle sizes down to 50 nm leads to pronounced curvature-induced physical properties. Unlike in classical nanosystems, the so-formed single caps on top of the spherical particles exhibit a radial symmetric anisotropy orientation across their surface. Its impact on the magnetization reversal process was analyzed experimentally for different particle sizes and compared to micromagnetic simulations, offering new opportunities in the functionalization of magnetic nanostructures.     

Magnetization reversal process in Fe/Si (001) single-crystalline film investigated by planar Hall effect

A planar Hall effect(PHE) is introduced to investigate the magnetization reversal process in single-crystalline iron film grown on a Si(001) substrate.Owing to the domain structure of iron film and the characteristics of PHE,the magnetization switches sharply in an angular range of the external field for two steps of 90° domain wall displacement and one step of 180°domain wall displacement near the easy axis,respectively.However,the magnetization reversal process near the hard axis is completed by only one step of 90° domain wall displacement and then rotates coherently.The magnetization reversal process mechanism near the hard axis seems to be a combination of coherent rotation and domain wall displacement.Furthermore,the domain wall pinning energy and uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy can also be derived from the PHE measurement.     

Scanning near field microscope with a carbon nanotube as a probe

The possibility of investigating a nanomaterial structure using a near field scanning microscope with a carbon nanotube, used as a microprobe, is demonstrated.     

Magnetization reversal in the pinned layer of CoFe/PtMn bilayers

The magnetization reversal of the ferromagnetic (FM) layer in CoFe/PtMn exchange-coupled bilayer films has been investigated using bulk magnetometry. These films exhibit very complex angular dependence and the easy axis is perpendicular to the field applied during deposition and post-annealing. Holding the film at negative saturation of the FM layer for up to 17 h results in no change in the exchange field. We believe that this is a thermally stable exchange-coupled system. Only limited thermal activation with a small time constant appears and no thermally activated reversal of the antiferromagnetic layer with a large time constant exits.     

Influence of magnetic field on the interlayer interaction in (Co/Si/Gd/Si)n films

A singularity sensitive to the external magnetic field was observed in the temperature dependences of the magnetization of multilayer (Co/Si/Gd/Si)₂₀ films in the vicinity of compensation temperature. Possible mechanisms responsible for the unusual behavior of the magnetization are discussed.     

Magnetization reversal dynamics in Au/Co/Au(111) ultrathin films: Effect of roughness of the buffer layer

We present a study of the magnetization reversal dynamics in ultrathin Au/Co/Au films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, for a Co thickness of 0.5, 0.7 and 1 nm. In these films, the magnetization reversal is dominated by domain nucleation for t_Co=0.5, 0.7 nm and by domain wall propagation for t_Co=1 nm. The prevalence of domain nucleation for the thickness range 0.5-0.7 nm is different from results reported in the literature, for the same system and for the same thickness range, where the magnetization reversal took place mainly by domain wall motion. We attribute this difference to the effect of roughness of the Au buffer layer on the morphology of the magnetic layer.     

Interaction of a magnetic vortex with the probe field of a magnetic force microscope

The interaction of a magnetic vortex in a circular ferromagnetic nanoparticle with the probe field of a magnetic force microscope (MFM) is theoretically investigated. In the calculations, the probe field is approximated by the point dipole field. The rigid magnetic vortex model is used to describe the vortex state of magnetization. It is found that the effect of the probe field on the rigid magnetic vortex shell is similar to the effect of a uniform magnetic field parallel to the particle plane. The effect of the Z component of the probe field on the core of the vortex results in mutual probe-vortex attraction or repulsion. It is shown that the magnetization direction of the core of the vortex in the MFM probe field can be changed without a change in the shell vorticity direction.     

Magnetism of Co layers in a Co/Si multilayer film

The magnetic properties of Co/Si multilayer films produced through rf ion sputtering were studied in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. The dependences of the spontaneous magnetization and hysteresis characteristics of the films on the thicknesses of the magnetic layers and nonmagnetic spacers are established. It is shown that these dependences are determined to a large extent by interlayer interfaces, in which the effective magnetic moment of the Co atoms and the exchange interaction decrease and magnetic-anisotropy dispersion arises. A probable cause of the interface formation is interlayer mixing (which is estimated to penetrate to a depth of 15 Å) and the strong effect of Si on the Co electronic structure.