Correlation between magnetism and spin-dependent transport in CoFeB alloys

We report a correlation between the spin polarization of the tunneling electrons (TSP) and the magnetic moment of amorphous CoFeB alloys. Such a correlation is surprising since the TSP involves s-like electrons close to the Fermi level (EF), while the magnetic moment mainly arises due to all d-electrons below EF. We show that probing the s and d-bands individually provides clear and crucial evidence for such a correlation to exist through s-d hybridization, and demonstrate the tuneability of the electronic and magnetic properties of CoFeB alloys.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. Letter (4 pages) and Supplementary material (4 pages

Trends of HCl, ClONO₂, and HF column abundances from ground-based FTIR measurements in Kiruna (Sweden) in comparison with KASIMA model calculations

Trends of hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine nitrate (ClONO2), and hydrogen fluoride (HF) total column abundances above Kiruna (Northern Sweden, 67.84$^\circ\text{N}$, 20.41$^\circ\text{E}$) derived from nearly 14 years (1996–2009) of measurement and model data are presented. The measurements have been performed with a Bruker 120HR (later Bruker 125 HR) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and the chemistry-transport model (CTM) used was KASIMA (KArlsruhe SImulation model of the Middle Atmosphere). The total column abundances of ClONO2 and HF calculated by KASIMA agree quite well with the FTIR measurements while KASIMA tends to underestimate the HCl columns. To calculate the long-term trends, a linear function combined with an annual cycle was fitted to the data using a least squares method. The precision of the resulting trends was estimated with the bootstrap resampling method. For HF, both model and measurements show a positive trend that seems to decrease in the last few years. This suggests a stabilisation of the HF total column abundance. Between 1996 and 2009, KASIMA simulates an increase of (+1.51±0.07) %/yr which exceeds the FTIR result of (+0.65±0.25) %/yr. The trends determined for HCl and ClONO2 are significantly negative over the time period considered here. This is expected because the emission of their precursors (chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons) has been restricted in the Montreal Protocol in 1987 and its amendments and adjustments. The trend for ClONO2 from the FTIR measurements amounts to (−3.28±0.56)%/yr and the one for HCl to (−0.81±0.23)%/yr. KASIMA simulates a weaker decrease: For ClONO2, the result is (−0.90±0.10) %/yr and for HCl (−0.17±0.06) %/yr. Part of the difference between measurement and model data can be explained by sampling and the stronger annual cycle indicated by the measurements. There is a factor of about four between the trends of HCl and ClONO2 above Kiruna for both measurement and model data

In-plane anomalies of the exchange bias field in Ni80Fe20/Fe50Mn50 bilayers on Cu(110)

We report on the exchange bias effect as a function of the in-plane direction of the applied field in twofold symmetric, epitaxial Ni 80 Fe 20 /Fe 50 Mn 50 bilayers grown on Cu~110! single-crystal substrates. An enhancement of the exchange bias field, H eb , up to a factor of 2 is observed if the external field is nearly, but not fully aligned perpendicular to the symmetry direction of the exchange bias field. From the measurement of the exchange bias field as a function of the in-plane angle of the applied field, the unidirectional, uniaxial and fourfold anisotropy contributions are determined with high precision. The symmetry direction of the unidirectional anisotropy switches with increasing NiFe thickness from [110] to [001]

Asymmetric Pt/Co/Pt-stack induced sign-control of current-induced magnetic domain-wall creep

We report experimentally obtained magnetic domain wall (DW) velocities of current-assisted field-driven DW creep in perpendicularly magnetized Pt/Co/Pt. We have intentionally introduced an asymmetry in the stacks by using different thicknesses of the two Pt layers sandwiching the Co layer. Thereby, it is tested whether conflicting current-induced domain wall motion (CI-DWM) results may be intrinsically related to the basic layout and growth. We sketch a scenario which could be at the basis of contradicting reports in literature where the direction of CI-DWM conflicts with spin-torque-transfer theory, allowing the sign of the current-induced effect on DW motion to be tuned

Ornstein-Uhlenbeck parameter extraction from light curves of Fermi-LAT observed blazars

Context. Monthly-binned gamma-ray light curves of 236 bright gamma-ray sources, particularly blazars, selected from a sample of 2278 high-galactic latitude objects observed with Fermi-LAT, show flux variability characterized by power spectral densities consisting of a single power-law component, ranging from Brownian to white noise. Aims. The main goal here is to assess the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) model by studying the range of its three parameters that reproduces these statistical properties. Methods. We develop procedures for extracting values of the three OU model parameters (mean flux, correlation length, and random amplitude) from time series data, and apply them to compare numerical integrations of the OU process with the Fermi-LAT data. Results. The OU process fully describes the statistical properties of the flux variations of the 236 blazars. The distributions of the extracted OU parameters are narrowly peaked about well-defined values (sigma, mu, theta) = (0.2, -8.4, 0.5) with variances (0.004, 0.07, 0.13). The distributions of rise and decay time scales of flares in the numerical simulations, i.e. major flux variations fulfilling pre-defined criteria, are in agreement with the observed ones. The power spectral densities of the synthetic light curves are statistically indistinguishable from those of the measured light curves. Conclusions. Long-term gamma-ray flux variability of blazars on monthly time scales is well described by a stochastic model involving only three parameters. The methods described here are powerful tools to study randomness in light curves and thereby constrain the physical mechanisms responsible for the observed flux variations.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure

Application of portable FTIR spectrometers for detecting greenhouse gas emissions of the major city Berlin

Five portable Bruker EM27/SUN FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectrometers have been used for the accurate and precise observation of column-averaged abundances of CO2 and CH4 around the major city Berlin. In the work by Frey et al. (2015), a calibration procedure is developed and applied to the set of spectrometers used for the Berlin campaign. Here, we describe the observational setup of the campaign and aspects of the data analysis, and we present the recorded time series of XCH4 and XCO2. We demonstrate that the CO2 emissions of Berlin can be clearly identified in the observations. A simple dispersion model is applied which indicates a total strength of the Berlin source of about 0.8 t CO2 s-1. In the Supplement of this work, we provide the measured data set and auxiliary data. We hope that the model community will exploit this unique data set for state-of-the art inversion studies of CO2 and CH4 sources in the Berlin area. © Author(s) 2015

Use of portable FTIR spectrometers for detecting greenhouse gas emissions of the megacity Berlin - Part 2: Observed time series of XCO₂ and XCH₄

Five portable Bruker EM27/SUN FTIR spectrometers have been used for the accurate and precise observation of column averaged abundances of CO2 and CH4 around the megacity Berlin. In the first part of this work (Frey et al., 2015) we have presented the various measures that were undertaken to ensure that the observations are consistent between sites, accurate and precise. Here, we present the recorded time series of XCH4 and XCO2 and demonstrate that the CO2 emissions of Berlin can be clearly identified in the observations. A simple dispersion model is applied which indicates a total strength of the Berlin source of about 0.8 t CO2 s-1. In the Supplement of this work, we provide the measured dataset and auxiliary data. We hope that the model community will exploit this unique dataset for state-of-the art inversion studies of CO2 and CH4 sources in the Berlin area