Microscopic reversal magnetization mechanisms in CoCrPt thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy: Fractal structure versus labyrinth stripe domains

The magnetization reversal of CoCrPt thin films has been examined as a function of thickness using magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy and first-order reversal curves (FORC) techniques. MOKE images show differentiated magnetization reversal regimes for different film thicknesses: while the magnetic domains in 10-nm-thick CoCrPt film resemble a fractal structure, a labyrinth stripe domain configuration is observed for 20-nm-thick films. Although FORC distributions for both cases show two main features related to irreversible processes (propagation and annihilation fields) separated by a mostly flat region, this method can nonetheless distinguish which magnetization reversal process is active according to the horizontal profile of the first FORC peak, or propagation field. A single-peak FORC profile corresponds to the fractal magnetization reversal, whereas a flat-peak FORC profile corresponds to the labyrinth magnetization reversal

Effective demagnetizing tensors in arrays of magnetic nanopillars

A model describing the effect of magnetic dipolar interactions on the susceptibility of magnetic nanopillars is presented. It is an extension of a recently reported model for three-dimensional randomlike dispersions of nearly spherical nanoparticles in equilibrium [Sánchez et al., Phys. Rev. B 95, 134421 (2017)2469-995010.1103/PhysRevB.95.134421], to well-ordered arrays of nanoparticles out of equilibrium. To test it, a high-quality benchmark consisting of a two-dimensional hexagonal arrangement of quasi-identical parallel nickel nanopillars embedded in a porous alumina template was fabricated. This model is based on an effective demagnetizing tensor, which only depends on a few morphological parameters of the sample, as the nearest-neighbor distance between pillars and the volume fraction of pillars in the specimen. It allows us to obtain the nanopillar intrinsic susceptibility tensor from the magnetic response of the nanopillar ensemble. The values of the in-plane and normal-to-plane susceptibility of the sample are successfully predicted by the model. Furthermore, the model reproduces the susceptibility in the applied field direction, measured for different applied field angles. In this way, it provides a simple and accurate treatment to account for the complex magnetic effects produced by dipolar interactions.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasInstituto de Física La Plat

Structural and magnetic behavior of ferrogels obtained by freezing thawing of polyvinyl alcohol/poly (acrylic acid) (PAA)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles

Superparamagnetic ferrogels with high swelling ability and potential applications as solvent absorbers and stimuli-responsive drug delivery devices were obtained by a non-toxic and environmentally friendly route based on dispersion of poly(acrylic acid)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (PAA-coated NPs) in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solutions followed by freezing–thawing. Presence of carboxylate groups arising from the PAA coating allowed hydrogen bonding formation between NPs and PVA and enabled the synthesis of optically homogenous, superparamagnetic materials formed by a homogenous distribution of NPs diffuse clusters in the PVA matrix. The addition of PAA-coated NPs produced a remarkable increase in crystallinity degree, thermal degradation and swelling percentage respect to the neat matrix, which demonstrates that ferrogels with improved properties can be obtained by this procedure. Thereafter, combination of a cryogenic technique with the use of non-toxic components and magnetic NPs coated by a pH sensitive polymer makes these ferrogels very promising for applications in the biomedical field.Fil: Moscoso Londoño, Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingenieria. Departamento de Fisica. Laboratorio de Sólidos Amorfos; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Jimena Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Muraca, D.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Física ’Gleb Wataghin’. Laboratorio de Materiais e Baixas Temperaturas; Brasil;Fil: Hoppe, Cristina Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Vera Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: López Quintela, A.. Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; España;Fil: Socolovsky, Leandro Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Instituto D/tec.y Cs.de la Ing.;Fil: Pirota, K. R.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Instituto de Física ’Gleb Wataghin’. Laboratorio de Materiais e Baixas Temperaturas; Brasil

Dimensionality tuning of the electronic structure in Fe3Ga4 magnetic materials

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOThis work reports on the dimensionality effects on the magnetic behavior of Fe3Ga4 compounds by means of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and specific heat measurements. Our results show that reducing the Fe3Ga4 dimensionality, via nanowire shape, intriguingly modifies its electronic structure. In particular, the bulk system exhibits two transitions, a ferromagnetic (FM) transition temperature at T-1 = 50 K and an antiferromagnetic (AFM) one at T-2 = 390 K. On the other hand, nanowires shift these transition temperatures, towards higher and lower temperature for T-1 and T-2, respectively. Moreover, the dimensionality reduction seems to also modify the microscopic nature of the T-1 transition. Instead of a FM to AFM transition, as observed in the 3D system, a transition from FM to ferrimagnetic (FERRI) or to coexistence of FM and AFM phases is found for the nanowires. Our results allowed us to propose the magnetic field-temperature phase diagram for Fe3Ga4 in both bulk and nanostructured forms. The interesting microscopic tuning of the magnetic interactions induced by dimensionality in Fe3Ga4 opens a new route to optimize the use of such materials in nanostructured devices.This work reports on the dimensionality effects on the magnetic behavior of Fe3Ga4 compounds by means of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and specific heat measurements. Our results show that reducing the Fe3Ga4 dimensionality, via nanowire shape, intriguingly modifies its electronic structure. In particular, the bulk system exhibits two transitions, a ferromagnetic (FM) transition temperature at T-1 = 50 K and an antiferromagnetic (AFM) one at T-2 = 390 K. On the other hand, nanowires shift these transition temperatures, towards higher and lower temperature for T-1 and T-2, respectively. Moreover, the dimensionality reduction seems to also modify the microscopic nature of the T-1 transition. Instead of a FM to AFM transition, as observed in the 3D system, a transition from FM to ferrimagnetic (FERRI) or to coexistence of FM and AFM phases is found for the nanowires. Our results allowed us to propose the magnetic field-temperature phase diagram for Fe3Ga4 in both bulk and nanostructured forms. The interesting microscopic tuning of the magnetic interactions induced by dimensionality in Fe3Ga4 opens a new route to optimize the use of such materials in nanostructured devices.619FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOSem informaçãoSem informaçãoThis work was supported by Brazilian funding agencies Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The authors would like to acknowledge the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNANO) for providing the equipment and technical support for the experiments involving scanning electron microscopy and the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) for the beamtime (XRD1 16980) and the staff of the XDS Beamline for providing assistance during the experiment. We thank Anna Paula Sotero Levinsky, Junior Cintra Mauricio and Santiago J.A. Figueroa (LNLS) for help in the XAS measurements and data manipulation/analysis

Magnetization reversal and exchange bias effects in hard/soft ferromagnetic bilayers with orthogonal anisotropies

The magnetization reversal processes are discussed for exchange-coupled ferromagnetic hard/soft bilayers made from Co[subscript 0.66]Cr[subscript 0.22]Pt[subscript 0.12] (10 and 20 nm)/Ni (from 0 to 40 nm) films with out-of-plane and in-plane magnetic easy axes respectively, based on room temperature hysteresis loops and first-order reversal curve analysis. On increasing the Ni layer thicknesses, the easy axis of the bilayer reorients from out-of-plane to in-plane. An exchange bias effect, consisting of a shift of the in-plane minor hysteresis loops along the field axis, was observed at room temperature after in-plane saturation. This effect was associated with specific ferromagnetic domain configurations experimentally determined by polarized neutron reflectivity. On the other hand, perpendicular exchange bias effect was revealed from the out-of-plane hysteresis loops and it was attributed to residual domains in the magnetically hard layer.National Science Foundation (U.S.)MIT-Spain/La Cambra de Barcelona Seed Fun

Zinātniskā komunisma jautājumi

CNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOIn order to understand the magnetocaloric response of materials, it is important to analyze the interactions between the different phases present in them. Recent models have analyzed the influence of these interactions on the magnetocaloric response of composites, providing an estimate value of the interaction field that is consistent with experimental results. This paper analyzes to which extent magnetization first-order reversal curve (FORC) method can be used to calculate these interactions. It is shown that the different field ranges that are explored using these techniques (inside the hysteretic region for FORC; close to magnetic saturation for magnetocaloric effect) produce interaction field values that differ in order of magnitude, with FORC being sensitive to the lower values of the interaction field and magnetocaloric analysis accounting for the larger interactions. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.In order to understand the magnetocaloric response of materials, it is important to analyze the interactions between the different phases present in them. Recent models have analyzed the influence of these interactions on the magnetocaloric response of composites, providing an estimate value of the interaction field that is consistent with experimental results. This paper analyzes to which extent magnetization first-order reversal curve (FORC) method can be used to calculate these interactions. It is shown that the different field ranges that are explored using these techniques (inside the hysteretic region for FORCclose to magnetic saturation for magnetocaloric effect) produce interaction field values that differ in order of magnitude, with FORC being sensitive to the lower values of the interaction field and magnetocaloric analysis accounting for the larger interactions.1171714CNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICOCNPQ - CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO401921/2013-1This work was supported by the Science Without Borders Program of the Brazilian funding agency CNPq (#401921/2013‐1), the Spanish MINECO and EU FEDER (Project No. MAT 2013-45165-P) and the PAI of the Regional Government of Andalucía (Project No. P10-FQM-6462)

Magnetic properties study of iron-oxide nanoparticles/PVA ferrogels with potential biomedical applications

A study of the magnetic behavior of maghemite nanoparticles (NPs) in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer matrices prepared by physical cross-linking is reported. The magnetic nanocomposites (ferrogels) were obtained by the in situ co-precipitation of iron salts in the presence of PVA polymer, and subsequently subjected to freezing-thawing cycles. The magnetic behavior of these ferrogels was compared with that of similar systems synthesized using the glutaraldehyde. This type of chemical cross-linking agents presents several disadvantages due to the presence of residual toxic molecules in the gel, which are undesirable for biological applications. Characteristic particle size determined by several techniques are in the range 7.9-9.3 nm. The iron oxidation state in the NPs was studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Mössbauer measurements showed that the NP magnetic moments present collective magnetic excitations and superparamagnetic relaxations. The blocking and irreversibility temperatures of the NPs in the ferrogels, and the magnetic anisotropy constant, were obtained from magnetic measurements. An empirical model including two magnetic contributions (large NPs slightly departed from thermodynamic equilibrium below 200 K, and small NPs at thermodynamic equilibrium) was used to fit the experimental magnetization curves. A deviation from the superparamagnetic regime was observed. This deviation was explained on the basis of an interacting superparamagnetic model. From this model, relevant magnetic and structural properties were obtained, such as the magnitude order of the dipolar interaction energy, the NPs magnetic moment, and the number of NPs per ferrogel mass unit. This study contributes to the understanding of the basic physics of a new class of materials that could emerge from the PVA-based magnetic ferrogels.Fil: Mendoza Zélis, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata; Argentina; Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física; Argentina;Fil: Muraca, D.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute; Brasil;Fil: Gonzalez, Jimena Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (i); Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora. Facultad de Ingenieria; Argentina;Fil: Pasquevich, Gustavo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata; Argentina; Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ingenieria; Argentina;Fil: Alvarez, Vera Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (i); Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingenieria; Argentina;Fil: Pirota, K. R.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute; Brasil;Fil: Sanchez, Francisco Homero. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata; Argentina; Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física; Argentina

Two-photon Lithography for 3D Magnetic Nanostructure Fabrication

Ferromagnetic materials have been utilised as recording media within data storage devices for many decades. Confinement of the material to a two dimensional plane is a significant bottleneck in achieving ultra-high recording densities and this has led to the proposition of three dimensional (3D) racetrack memories that utilise domain wall propagation along nanowires. However, the fabrication of 3D magnetic nanostructures of complex geometry is highly challenging and not easily achievable with standard lithography techniques. Here, by using a combination of two-photon lithography and electrochemical deposition, we show a new approach to construct 3D magnetic nanostructures of complex geometry. The magnetic properties are found to be intimately related to the 3D geometry of the structure and magnetic imaging experiments provide evidence of domain wall pinning at a 3D nanostructured junction

Magnetic properties of spinel-type oxides NiMn2-xMexO4

New materials, based on the well-known spinel compound NiMn2O4, have been synthesized and characterized from the magnetic point of view. The manganese cation was partially substituted in the general formula NiMn2-xMexO4 , by nonmagnetic and magnetic elements, such as Me = Ga, Zn, Ni and Cr (0 x 1). Prior to the determination of their magnetic properties, the non-substituted spinel NiMn2O4 was carefully characterized and studied as a function of the oxygen stoichiometry, based on the influence of the annealing atmosphere and quenching rate. The ferrimagnetic character was observed in all samples, with a paramagnetic-to-ferromagnetic transition temperature Tc stabilized at 110 K, and well defined long-range antiferromagnetic interactions at lower temperatures, which depend on the applied field and the substitute concentrationAuthors from Chile and O.P. thank projects Fondecyt-Chile 1020066, 7020066 and 1050178. Authors from France and Brazil thank project CAPES/COFECUB 416/03. Authors from France thank Région Bretagne for financial supportPeer reviewe