Fractal model of magnetization reversal in a strained garnet ferrite film

The domain structure in strained garnet ferrite films and its behavior in an external magnetic field are studied using the Faraday effect. Based on the experimental results, a model of magnetization reversal in thin polycrystalline layers is proposed that describes the process of remagnetization as the development of fractal clusters. The model proposed is verified using a computer simulation of magnetization reversal.     

Study of magnetization reversal and anisotropy of single crystalline ultrathin Fe/MgO(001) film by magneto-optic Kerr effect

The magnetization reversal process of Fe/MgO(001) thin film is investigated by combining transverse and longitudinal hysteresis loops. Owing to the competition between domain wall pinning energy and weak uniaxial magnetic anisotropy,the typical magnetization reversal process of Fe ultrathin film can take place via either an "l-jump" process near the easy axis, or a "2-jump" process near the hard axis, depending on the applied field orientation. Besides, the hysteresis loop presents strong asymmetry resulting from the variation of the detected light intensity due to the quadratic magneto-optic effect. Furthermore, we modify the detectable light intensity formula and simulate the hysteresis loops of the Kerr signal. The results show that they are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Asymmetric domain nucleation and unusual magnetization reversal in ultrathin Co films with perpendicular anisotropy

We report unexpected phenomena during magnetization reversal in ultrathin Co films and Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy. Using magneto-optical Kerr microscopy and magnetic force microscopy we have observed asymmetrical nucleation centers where the reversal begins for one direction of the field only and is characterized by an acute asymmetry of domain-wall mobility. We have also observed magnetic domains with a continuously varying average magnetization, which can be explained in terms of the coexistence of three magnetic phases: up, down, and striped.     

Magnetization reversal of Fe ultrathin film on Cu(100)

The magnetization reversal of Fe/Cu(100) ultrathin films grown at room temperature is investigated by using an in situ magneto-optical Kerr effect polarimeter with a magnet that can rotate in a plane of incidence. There occur spin reorientation transitions from out-of-plane to in-plane magnetizations in 8 and 12 monolayers (ML) thick iron films. The coercive fields are observed to be proportional to the reciprocal of the cosine with respect to the easy axis, suggesting that the domain-wall displacement plays a main role in the magnetization reversal process.     

Partial magnetization reversal using laser annealing in patterned NiFe/FeMn film

We have studied local magnetization reversal by laser annealing in exchange biased NiFe/FeMn bilayer. Local magnetization reversal was performed by using the Nd:YAG laser under external magnetic field. When the laser illuminated the patterned film with the power of above 300 mW during 15 min, a magnetoresistance (MR) curve with symmetric peaks at the opposite field was obtained due to the local reversal of exchange biasing. A similar result was observed in NiFe/FeMn/NiFe trilayer. As the exposed area expanded, the intensity of opposite MR peak increased. The direction of exchange anisotropy in the partially reversed region can be restored by local laser annealing under alternating magnetic field, even if its MR peak was reduced by the damage and interdiffusion. The magnetic new domain structures of the partially reversed region was generated by laser annealing near the exposed area.     

Investigation of magnetization reversal process in pinned CoFeB thin film by in-situ Lorentz TEM

Exchange bias effect has been widely employed for various magnetic devices.The experimentally reported magnitude of exchange bias field is often smaller than that predicted theoretically,which is considered to be due to the partly pinned spins of ferromagnetic layer by antiferromagnetic layer.However,mapping the distribution of pinned spins is challenging.In this work,we directly image the reverse domain nucleation and domain wall movement process in the exchange biased Co Fe B/Ir Mn bilayers by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy.From the in-situ experiments,we obtain the distribution mapping of the pinning strength,showing that only 1/6 of the ferromagnetic layer at the interface is strongly pinned by the antiferromagnetic layer.Our results prove the existence of an inhomogeneous pinning effect in exchange bias systems.     

First-order reversal curve investigated magnetization switching in Pd/Co/Pd wedge film

The magnetization switching plays an essential role in spintronic devices.In this study,a Pd(3 nm)/Co(0.14–1.68 nm)/Pd(5 nm) wedge film is deposited on an Mg O(111) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy.We investigate the polar magneto-optical Kerr effect(MOKE) and carry out the first-order reversal curve(FORC) measurements.For the wedge system,it is observed that the Co thickness could drive the spin reorientation transition(SRT) from out-of-plane to in-plane.Meanwhile,we find the different types of magnetization switchings in the continuous SRT process,which can originate from the formation of different magnetic compositions.Our work provides the possibility of tuning the interfacial effect,and paves the way to analyzing magnetization switching.     

Oxygen-deficient line defects in an ultrathin aluminum oxide film

A model for the straight antiphase domain boundary of the ultrathin aluminum oxide film on the NiAl(110) substrate is derived from scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and density-functional theory calculations. Although the local bonding environment of the perfect film is maintained, the structure is oxygen deficient and possesses a favorable adsorption site. The domain boundary exhibits a downwards band bending and three characteristic unoccupied electronic states, in excellent agreement with scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements.     

Dynamic magnetization reversal in dipole systems

The possibility of magnetization reversal in two different systems of magnetic dipoles by preliminary excitation of certain oscillatory regimes is demonstrated using numerical analysis of bistable states of these systems. Cyclic magnetization reversal of the systems is executed by sequential alternation of the frequency of the applied ac field. The interaction of two ring-shaped dipole systems is analyzed and peculiarities of the change in the total magnetic moments induced by this interaction are revealed.     

Electrostatic modulation of the superfluid density in an ultrathin film

By capacitively charging an underdoped ultrathin La2-xSrxCuO4 film with an electric field applied across a gate insulator with a high dielectric constant, relative changes of the areal superfluid density ns of unprecedented strength were observed in measurements of the film kinetic inductance. Although ns appears to be substantially reduced by disorder, the data provide, for the first time on the same sample, direct compelling evidence for the Uemura relation Tc proportional to ns(T=0) in the underdoped regime of copper-oxide superconductors.     

Features of magnetization reversal in trilayer nanostructures

The process of magnetization reversal in an ultrathin magnetic trilayer is analyzed. It is shown that the shape of magnetization hysteresis loops and the giant magnetoresistance essentially depend on the relative magnitudes of magnetic parameters of the top and bottom layers. Hysteresis loops are found for characteristic relative magnitudes of the parameters. Analysis is performed of the dependence of the shape of hysteresis loops on the magnitude of interlayer exchange. A phase diagram is constructed, which determines the regions of existence of characteristic hysteresis loops for different relative magnitudes of the uniaxial anisotropy constant and exchange constant J ₁.     

Dynamical study of remanent magnetization in nanoparticles

For collections of noninteracting nanoparticles, we study the reduced static remanent magnetization, m_R, produced by the removal of a saturating magnetic field. We show that, except for special cases such as easy uniaxial anisotropy, m_R depends on both the ramp-down rate of the field and the energy dissipation rate of the spin dynamics. Using the Landau–Lifshitz equation, we illustrate this result with explicit dynamical calculations of m_R for cubic and for mixed cubic–uniaxial anisotropies.     

Magneto-optical effects in ultrathin structures at transversal magnetization

Procedures based on the Yeh’s 4 × 4 matrix formalism for the treatment of the electromagnetic interactions in multilayers at transversal magnetization and at an arbitrary angle of incidence are described. With the restriction to the magneto-optical effects linear in the magnetization the characteristic matrix for magnetic layer is derived. The reflection and transmission coefficients are obtained in the case of magnetic ultrathin film on substrate. The magneto-optical thin film waveguides at transversal magnetization are analysed in details and the dispersion relations for guided modes in a single layer, a bilayer, a sandwich and the approach to expand this way for waveguiding conditions in multilayers are presented. Work partially sponsored by Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, reg. No. 202/98/0235 and Ministry of Education in the frame of KONTAKT program, reg. No. ME 175/1998.     

Hysteresis phenomena during melting of an ultrathin lubricant film

The influence of a deformational defect of the shear modulus on the melting of an ultrathin lubricant film was investigated in the framework of the Lorenz model used for describing a viscoelastic medium. It was established that the film can undergo both stepwise and continuous melting. Analysis of the lubricant behavior revealed that there are three modes corresponding to a zero shear stress, a Hookean portion in the loading diagram, and a plastic-flow portion. The hysteresis in the dependences of the stationary shear stress on the strain and the friction surface temperature is examined.     

Two-stage magnetization reversal of ferromagnetic films

The two-stage magnetization relaxation of thin ferromagnetic films during the magnetization reversal process is considered in the context of the generalized Kolmogorov three-phasecrystallization model. The experimental data agree qualitatively with the considered model.     

Domain structure in an ultrathin ferromagnetic film: Three-parameter model

A stripe domain structure (DS) was studied in an ultrathin ferromagnetic film under an in-plane magnetic field. The basic structure parameters (the amplitude and period of the DS, the thickness of domain walls) were determined within a unified variational approach, and transitions from the DS state to a homogeneous canted and a homogeneous planar phase were studied.     

Dynamic properties of iron borate single crystals in the high-rate range of magnetization reversal

A third portion is found in the curve of pulsed magnetization reversal of iron borate single crystals with an extremely small switching coefficient S _w3≈(3–5)×10⁻³ Oe μs. This portion is attributed to switching off the possible channels of energy losses by magnetoelastic vibrations. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 45, No. 4, 2003, pp. 641–642. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2003 by Kolotov, Matyunin, Pogozhev.     

Two-stage magnetization reversal in exchange biased bilayers

MnF(2)/Fe bilayers exhibit asymmetric magnetization reversal that occurs by coherent rotation on one side of the loop and by nucleation and propagation of domain walls on the other side of the loop. Here, we show by polarized neutron reflectometry, magnetization, and magnetotransport measurements that for samples with good crystalline "quality" the rotation is a two-stage process, due to coherent rotation to a stable state perpendicular to the cooling field direction. The result is remarkably asymmetrically shaped hysteresis loops.