Magnetic rare earth superlattices

Advances in molecular beam epitaxy deposition techniques have recently made it possible to grow, an atomic plane at a time, single crystalline superlattices composed of alternating layers of a magnetic rare earth, such as Gd, Dy, Ho, or Er, and metallic Y, which has an identical chemical structure. The primary goal of this article is to review the new and interesting magnetic structures which have been discovered in these novel superlattice systems and to consider what implications the observed phases have on our understanding of the underlying microscopic magnetic interactions. In particular, the effects of the artificial periodicity or compositional modulation, finite layer thickness, and epitaxial strain on the resulting long range magnetic order of Gd-Y, Dy-Y, Ho-Y, Er-Y, and Gd-Dy superlattices are described.     

Birefringent neutron prisms for spin echo scattering angle measurement

In the first decade of the 19th century, an English chemist, William Wollaston, invented an arrangement of birefringent prisms that splits a beam of light into two spatially separated beams with orthogonal polarizations. We have constructed similar devices for neutrons using triangular cross-section solenoids and employed them for Spin Echo Scattering Angle Measurement (SESAME). A key difference between birefringent neutron prisms and their optical analogues is that it is hard to embed the former in a medium which has absolutely no birefringence because this implies the removal of all magnetic fields. We have overcome this problem by using the symmetry properties of the Wollaston neutron prisms and of the overall spin echo arrangement. These symmetries cause a cancellation of Larmor phase aberrations and provide robust coding of neutron scattering angles with simple equipment.     

Coexistence of superconductivity and long-range antiferromagnetic order in Gd1.2Mo6Se8

Neutron diffraction experiments confirm that the ternary rare earth compound Gd_1.2Mo₆Se₈ orders antiferromagnetically in the superconducting state at a Neél temperature T_N=0.75 K.     

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.     

A neutron diffraction study of the coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in GdMo6S8

The present neutron diffraction study confirms that GdMo₆S₈ orders antiferromagnetically in the superconducting state at a Néel temperature T_N = 0.84 K. Previous neutron scattering studies have demonstrated the coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in two other rare earth ternary compounds, DyMo₆S₈ and TbMo₆S₆.     

Pinpointing chiral structures with front-back polarized neutron reflectometry

A new development in spin-polarized neutron reflectometry enables us to more fully characterize the nucleation and growth of buried domain walls in layered magnetic materials. We applied this technique to a thin-film exchange-spring magnet. After first measuring the reflectivity with the neutrons striking the front, we measure with the neutrons striking the back. Simultaneous fits are sensitive to the presence of spiral spin structures. The technique reveals previously unresolved features of field-dependent domain walls in exchange-spring systems and has sufficient generality to apply to a variety of magnetic systems.