Influence of Pt thickness on magnetization reversal processes in (Pt/Co)3 multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy

We present a detailed study of the magnetization reversal in perpendicularly magnetized (Pt/Co)₃ multilayers with different values of the platinum interlayer thickness t_Pt. To study the magnetization reversal in our samples we combined measurements of relaxation curves with the direct visualization of domain structures. Magnetization reversal was dominated by domain wall propagation for t_Pt=1 nm and by domain nucleation for t_Pt=0.2 nm, while a mixed process was observed for t_Pt=0.8 nm. We interpret our results within the framework of a model of thermally activated reversal where a distribution of activation energy barriers is taken into account. The reversal process was correlated with the energy barrier distribution.     

Magnetic domain wall dynamics in an inhomogeneous magnetic field

A new experimental method for the study of single magnetic domain wall dynamics in bistable microwires is presented. It raises new possibilities for experimenting with a single magnetic domain wall moving in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. Models for a wall with fixed length were confronted with experimental data obtained on amorphous glass-coated ferromagnetic Fe_77.5B₁₅Si_7.5${\mathrm{Fe}}_{77.5}{\mathrm{B}}_{15}{\mathrm{Si}}_{7.5}$ microwire. These models qualitatively describe the observed behavior. The accord between models and experiment increases as the field disturbance decreases due to its inhomogeneity. A better match between experimental and model curves can probably be obtained if the changes in the wall dimensions and wall mass are taken into account.     

Magnetic and transport properties of granular and Heusler-type glass-coated microwires

We studied magnetic and structural properties of granular Co_xCu_100−x (5<x<40 at%), Cu₆₃Fe₃₇ and Heusler-type Ni₂MnGa glass-coated microwires. We found that the structure of Co–Cu microwires consists of two phases: fcc Cu for all the samples and fcc α-Co present for higher Co content. In the case of low Co content, Co atoms are distributed within the Cu matrix. The quantity and the size of grains strongly depend on the geometry of the microwire. Co–Cu and Fe–Cu microwires exhibited considerable magnetoresistance (MR). For Co_xCu_100−x microwires at x≥30 the anisotropic contribution to MR has been observed. Temperature dependences of magnetization measured without an external magnetic field (ZFC) and in the presence of a field (FC) show considerable difference below 20 K, indicating the presence of small α-Fe or Co grains embedded in the Cu matrix. Annealed Ni₂MnGa microwires showed ferromagnetic behavior with Curie temperature about 330 K and polycrystalline structure with space group I4/mmm and lattice parameters a=3.75 Å and c=6.78 Å.     

Fast domain wall dynamics in amorphous and nanocrystalline magnetic microwires

We have studied the effect of thermal treatment on the domain wall dynamics of FeSiB and FeCoMoB microwires. It was shown that annealing in transversal magnetic field increases the domain wall mobility as well as the domain wall velocity. Annealing under the tensile stress hinders the appearance of the monodomain structure but application of tensile stress leads to the magnetic bistability having the domain wall mobility twice higher that in as-cast state. Further increase of the tensile stress reduces the domain wall mobility but the domain wall velocity increases as a result of the decrease of critical propagation field. Annealing of the FeCoMoB microwire by Joule heating leads to introduction of the circular anisotropy that favors the vortex domain wall. Such treatment increases the domain wall mobility as well as the maximum domain wall velocity.     

Single domain wall dynamics in ferromagnetic lamination with variable conductivity

The influence of variable conductivity and thickness of two outer non-ferromagnetic layers on magnetization reversal of one central ferromagnetic layer is theoretically investigated. The model of a thin rigid 180°$180°$ domain wall moving transversely through the axially magnetized ferromagnetic layer is used to calculate induced eddy currents in lamination from which the domain wall mobility is determined. The effect of asymmetric distribution of eddy currents around moving domain wall results in acceleration of the wall near the edge of the lamination. The known domain wall mobility in ferromagnetic lamination can then be used to determine either the conductivity or the thickness of deposited outer non-ferromagnetic layers as proposed in discussion.     

Interaction of bistable glass-coated microwires in different positional relationship

The amorphous ferromagnetic glass-coated microwires with positive magnetostriction constant of the metallic core possess the bistable magnetization reversal and the fast domain wall propagation along the microwire axis. These properties and also the magnetization processes in the systems of the microwires are of interest in the magnetic sensing technology, encoding systems and smart composite applications. In this work we present the results of the experimental investigation, simulations and theoretical estimations of the hysteresis process in the systems of the magnetically bistable microwires with different length and positional relationship between them. The location of the short microwires near the long microwire affects the switching fields (external coaxial magnetic field applied for starting of the domain wall propagation along the microwire axis) and the hysteresis process. The changes of these properties are not directly proportional to the value of the shorter microwire shift along the longer one. When the short microwire was placed in the middle of the long one and when the one end of the long microwire coincided with the end of the short one, the two-steps hysteresis loops were observed for both sample orientations: before and after sample rotation on 180°. When the short microwire was placed close to the end of the long microwire (but did not coincide with it) we observed at first the two-steps hysteresis loop and single step behavior for one branch of the hysteresis loop after sample rotation. Moreover, changing of the orientation of the samples results in the shift of the switching field of the shorter microwire when its end was located near the end or coincided with the end of the longer one. This uncommon hysteresis behavior was explained and illustrated using results of the simulations. The values of microwires interaction were also estimated.     

Magnetoresistance in the magnetization reversal process of micropatterned Co wires

We measured the magnetoresistance (MR) and magnetization of Co wires of various widths in the range from 0.3 to 200 μm. The observed width dependence of some characteristics of MR is attributed to the change of the domain structure. As the width decreased below 1 μm, an abrupt jump appeared in the longitudinal MR. This can be interpreted as due to an abrupt reversal of the overall magnetization. The measured longitudinal MR was compared with the calculation in the Stoner–Wohlfarth model.     

The defects influence on domain wall propagation in bistable glass-coated microwires

We studied the domain wall (DW) dynamics of magnetically bistable amorphous glass-coated Fe₇₄B₁₃Si₁₁C₂ microwires. In according to our experimental results magnetic field dependences of DW velocity of studied microwires can be divided into two groups: with uniform or uniformly accelerated DW propagation along the microwire. Strong correlation between the type of the magnetic field dependence of domain wall velocity, v(H), and the distribution of the local nucleation fields has been observed.Moreover, we observed abrupt increasing of DW velocity (jump) on the magnetic field dependences of the domain wall velocity, v(H), for the both types of the v(H) dependences. At the same time usual linear increasing of the domain wall velocity with magnetic field persists below these jumps. It was found that the jump height correlates with the location of nucleation place of the new domain wall. We have measured local nucleation field distribution in all the microwires. From local nucleation field distribution we have obtained the DW nucleation locations and estimated the jump height     

微磁动力学的新进展

本文介绍微磁动力学领域的一个最新进展,我们的研究发现在磁场驱动下且保持畴结构不变地沿着纳米磁线运动的磁畴壁,其运动源于能量耗散,磁畴壁运动速度正比于能量耗散率。与此同时,我们根据能量守恒原则,给出了磁畴壁速度的一个合理定义,该定义适用于任意的磁畴壁结构。在此定义下,即使磁畴壁没有做刚性运动,我们也能得到磁畴壁运动的瞬时速度和平均速度。我们的结果不仅能重复低磁场下的沃克（Walker）解,还能反映出当磁场高于沃克极限（Walker limit）时速度{磁场的依赖关系,该结果跟数值模拟和实验数据都符合得很好。我们根据微磁动力学研究的这一新进展,最终澄清了一个事实即“磁畴壁质量”这个概念是错误的。     

Temperature dependence of switching field distribution in a NiFe wire with a pad

The distribution of switching fields (H_sw) in a NiFe wire was investigated as a function of temperature between 5 and 300 K. The sample structure under investigation is Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe wire (150 nm width) connecting to a square pad (large area) at an end. Magnetization reversal phenomena are very sensitively detected using the giant magnetoresistance effect. With repeating magnetoresistance measurements, we obtained a histogram of H_sw with three narrow peaks at each temperature. The origin of three peaks can be attributed to the existence of three different kinds of magnetic domain structures at the pad area, which was confirmed by magnetic force microscopy observation.     

Study of domain structure and magnetization reversal after thermal treatments in Fe40Co38Mo4B18 microwires

We have studied the effect of thermal treatment on the magnetic domain structure and magnetic reversal process of amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe₄₀Co₃₈Mo₄B₁₈ microwires. The domain structure and the magnetization reversal of amorphous FeCoMoB microwires reflect the complex stress distribution introduced by the glass coating. Hence, the thickness of radial domain structure decreases with temperature and the temperature dependence of the switching field presents a discontinuous behavior. After nanocrystallization, the domain structure of FeCoMoB microwire is almost constant within the temperature range 10-400 K and the switching field decreases almost linearly with temperature mostly because of the decrease of saturation magnetization.     

AC-current-induced magnetization switching in amorphous microwires

We studied the influence of AC current flowing through microwires, on magnetization dynamics. We used a previously developed Sixtus-Tonks modified setup to evaluate the domain wall (DW) velocity within the microwire. However, instead of a magnetizing solenoid, we used a current flowing through the microwire. We observed that the AC current flowing through the annealed Co-rich microwire leads to remagnetization by fast domain wall propagation. The estimated DW velocity was approximately 4.5 km/s, which is similar to and even higher than that reported for the magnetic-field-driven domain wall propagation in Fe- and Co-rich microwires. We measured the DW velocity under tensile stress, and found that the DW velocity decreases under applied stress. An observed DW propagation induced by the current flowing through the microwire is explained considering the influence of an Oersted magnetic field on the outer domain shell. This field has a circular easy magnetization direction and magnetostatic interaction between the outer circumferentially magnetized shell and the inner axially magnetized core.     

Surface magnetic anisotropy in glass-coated amorphous microwires as determined from ferromagnetic resonance measurements

The ferromagnetic resonance frequency of different Co base glass-coated amorphous magnetic microwires about 3.5 μm in diameter with negative, vanishing and positive magnetostriction has been investigated from power absorption measurements in the microwave frequency range. The experimental technique employed here involves the replacement of the dielectric of a coaxial transmission line by the sample to be measured. From the evolution of the resonance frequency with DC applied magnetic field, the surface magnetic anisotropy field of the microwires has been quantitatively obtained and, as expected, found to depend on the sign and strength of the magnetostriction. Similar values for the surface anisotropy are obtained in comparison with bulk anisotropy as determined from quasi-static hysteresis loops measurements.     

Domain wall nucleation in epitaxial exchange-biased Fe/IrMn bilayers with highly misaligned anisotropies

The angular dependence of the magnetization reversal in epitaxial Fe/IrMn bilayers with collinear and non-collinear cubic and unidirectional anisotropies is investigated. Multistep loops with different magnetization reversal processes are observed for either positive or negative angles with respect to the Fe easy axis. The angular dependence of the switching fields displays the broken symmetry of the induced non-collinearity. The experimental results are reproduced with a generalized domain wall nucleation model that includes the induced anisotropy configuration and the peculiar asymmetric magnetic switching behavior. These results highlight the importance of the relative angle between anisotropies in epitaxial exchange bias systems with incoherent rotation reversal mechanism, opening a new pathway for tailoring the magnetic properties of such systems.     

Dynamics of sandwich domain structure in Co-based amorphous ribbons with helical magnetic anisotropy: Part I

The distribution of axes of easy magnetization close to a homogeneous distribution is revealed in each half-thickness of a ribbon after annealing it in a helical magnetic field. The transition from magnetic reversal of a ribbon by the displacement of two domain walls formed near a middle plane of a ribbon to magnetic reversal of a ribbon by displacement of two domain walls formed near to the main surfaces of a ribbon is found out during each half-period of a magnetic reversal.     

Domain wall propagation in Permalloy nanowires with a thickness gradient

The magnetization reversal behavior of Permalloy nanowires has been investigated using a magneto-optic Kerr effect setup. Nanowires with various widths, w=250$w=250$ nm to 3 μm and a thickness of t=10$t=10$ nm were fabricated by electron-beam lithography and subsequent lift-off. Furthermore, similar nanowires but with a thickness gradient along the nanowire axis have been prepared to investigate the influence of the gradient on the magnetic domain wall propagation. Magnetization hysteresis loops recorded on individual nanowires without a gradient are compared to corresponding wires with a thickness gradient. The dependence of the coercive field, _Hc$H_c$ vs. t/w$t/w$ shows a linear behavior for wires without a gradient. However, wires with a gradient display a more complex crossover behavior. We find a plateau in the _Hc$H_c$ vs. t/w$t/w$ curve at values of w$w$, where a transformation from transverse to vortex domain wall type is expected.     

Asymmetric magnetization reversal on exchange biased CoO/Co bilayers

We study magnetic hysteresis loops after field cooling of a CoO/Co bilayer by MOKE and polarized neutron reflectivity. The neutron scattering reveals that the first magnetization reversal after field cooling is dominated by domain wall movement, whereas all subsequent reversals proceed essentially by rotation of the magnetization. In addition, off-specular diffuse scattering indicates that the first magnetization reversal induces an irreversible change of the domain state in the antiferromagnet.     

Model of magnetization in thin magnetic films with one domain and two-domain basic structures

The magnetization processes in thin magnetic films are described by a model analysing the behaviour of one domain and two-domain basic structures (BS) in the applied magnetic field. These structures include the film areas with nearly constant crystal and magnetic parameters. The minimum of BS free energy including the energy in the internal magnetic field, the energy of the induced anisotropy and the domain-wall energy are taken into account. The initial and hysteresis curves of the sample depend on the function of distribution for the BSs are calculated. A good qualitative agreement with the results of other authors is observed if the films consists of one-domain or two-domain BS only. Our experimental data give also some support of the model.     

Reversible and irreversible magnetization components behavior in Ni nanowires

Polycrystalline Ni nanowires were electrodeposited in nanoporous anodized alumina membranes with mean diameter of approximately 42 nm. Their magnetic properties were studied at 300 K, by measurements of recoil curves from demagnetized state and also from saturated state. M_rev and M_irr components were obtained and M_rev(M_irr)_H curves were constructed from the experimental data. These curves showed a behavior that suggests a non-uniform reversal mode influenced by the presence of dipolar interactions in the system. A qualitative approach to this behavior is obtained using a Stoner–Wohlfarth model modified by a mean field term and local interaction fields.     

Quantitative analysis of magnetization reversal in patterned strip wire by magnetic force microscopy

Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) was used to investigate the magnetization reversal process in a patterned strip wire of permalloy thin film. The magnitude of the phase-shift of tapping mode MFM changed with the varying interactive magnetic force between the magnetic tip and the sample. By analyzing the change in values of the phase-shift, the behaviors of magnetization reversal of different local regions in a patterned strip wire can be quantitatively analyzed. The intensity of the phase-shift in the wider end is stronger than that in the narrower one. In contrast, due to a strong anisotropic effect, the coercive force in the narrower end (9 Oe) is larger than that in the wider one (8 Oe). Therefore, the H_c in the neck section could become strongly affected by the competition of the head-to-tail magnetic configurations in the two parts of the strip wire, and this results in a small H_c in the neck section. In addition, in a simple neck shape connection in a strip NiFe wire, a single domain configuration can be easily changed to a two single domain magnetic configuration.