178 research outputs found
Exchange stiffness in ultrathin perpendicularly-magnetized CoFeB layers determined using spin wave spectroscopy
We measure the frequencies of spin waves in nm-thick perpendicularly
magnetized FeCoB systems, and model the frequencies to deduce the exchange
stiffness of this material in the ultrathin limit. For this, we embody the
layers in magnetic tunnel junctions patterned into circular nanopillars of
diameters ranging from 100 to 300 nm and we use magneto-resistance to determine
which rf-current frequencies are efficient in populating the spin wave modes.
Micromagnetic calculations indicate that the ultrathin nature of the layer and
the large wave vectors used ensure that the spin wave frequencies are
predominantly determined by the exchange stiffness, such that the number of
modes in a given frequency window can be used to estimate the exchange. For 1
nm layers the experimental data are consistent with an exchange stiffness A= 20
pJ/m, which is slightly lower that its bulk counterpart. The thickness
dependence of the exchange stiffness has strong implications for the numerous
situations that involve ultrathin films hosting strong magnetization gradients,
and the micromagnetic description thereof.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR
Dynamic binding of driven interfaces in coupled ultrathin ferromagnetic layers
We demonstrate experimentally dynamic interface binding in a system
consisting of two coupled ferromagnetic layers. While domain walls in each
layer have different velocity-field responses, for two broad ranges of the
driving field, H, walls in the two layers are bound and move at a common
velocity. The bound states have their own velocity-field response and arise
when the isolated wall velocities in each layer are close, a condition which
always occurs as H->0. Several features of the bound states are reproduced
using a one dimensional model, illustrating their general nature.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Physical Review Letter
Magnetic domain structure and dynamics in interacting ferromagnetic stacks with perpendicular anisotropy
The time and field dependence of the magnetic domain structure at
magnetization reversal were investigated by Kerr microscopy in interacting
ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy. Large local
inhomogeneous magnetostatic fields favor mirroring domain structures and domain
decoration by rings of opposite magnetization. The long range nature of these
magnetostatic interactions gives rise to ultra-slow dynamics even in zero
applied field, i.e. it affects the long time domain stability. Due to this
additionnal interaction field, the magnetization reversal under short magnetic
field pulses differs markedly from the well-known slow dynamic behavior.
Namely, in high field, the magnetization of the coupled harder layer has been
observed to reverse more rapidly by domain wall motion than the softer layer
alone.Comment: 42 pages including 17 figures. submitted to JA
High domain wall velocities induced by current in ultrathin Pt/Co/AlOx wires with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
Current-induced domain wall (DW) displacements in an array of ultrathin
Pt/Co/AlOx wires with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy have been directly
observed by wide field Kerr microscopy. DWs in all wires in the array were
driven simultaneously and their displacement on the micrometer-scale was
controlled by the current pulse amplitude and duration. At the lower current
densities where DW displacements were observed (j less than or equal to 1.5 x
10^12 A/m^2), the DW motion obeys a creep law. At higher current density (j =
1.8 x 10^12 A/m^2), zero-field average DW velocities up to 130 +/- 10 m/s were
recorded.Comment: Minor changes to Fig. 1(b) and text, correcting for the fact that
domain walls were subsequently found to move counter to the electron flow.
References update
Pinned synthetic ferrimagnets with perpendicular anisotropy and tuneable exchange bias
This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.Pinned synthetic ferrimagnets (syFerri) with perpendicular-to-plane magnetic anisotropy, of the form AP1/Ru/AP2/FeMn [where AP1 and AP2 are (Co/Pt) multilayers], have been prepared and characterized. The magnitudes of the exchange bias fields of both AP1 and AP2 can be tuned at room temperature by simply varying the relative number of (Co/Pt) repeats in each multilayer. This effect can be quantitatively interpreted by considering the different energy contributions involved during magnetization reversal. Moreover, from the values of these fields, the characteristic parameters of the system (i.e., coupling strength through the Ru and AP2/FeMn pinning energy), can be evaluated. Interestingly, an extended plateau with a virtually constant magnetization is observed around zero field when the number of Co/Pt repeats in AP1 is equal or larger than in AP2. This is very appealing for field sensor or memories applications using spin valves or tunnel junctions with perpendicular anisotropy, since it offers a large dynamic range over which the magnetic configuration of the syFerri remains stable
Analysis of anisotropy crossover due to oxygen in Pt/Co/MOx trilayer
Extraordinary Hall effect and X-ray spectroscopy measurements have been
performed on a series of Pt/Co/MOx trilayers (M=Al, Mg, Ta...) in order to
investigate the role of oxidation in the onset of perpendicular magnetic
anisotropy at the Co/MOx interface. It is observed that varying the oxidation
time modifies the magnetic properties of the Co layer, inducing a magnetic
anisotropy crossover from in-plane to out-of-plane. We focused on the influence
of plasma oxidation on Pt/Co/AlOx perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The
interfacial electronic structure is analyzed via X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy measurements. It is shown that the maximum of out-of-plane
magnetic anisotropy corresponds to the appearance of a significant density of
Co-O bondings at the Co/AlOx interface
Spin injection in Silicon at zero magnetic field
In this letter, we show efficient electrical spin injection into a SiGe based
\textit{p-i-n} light emitting diode from the remanent state of a
perpendicularly magnetized ferromagnetic contact. Electron spin injection is
carried out through an alumina tunnel barrier from a Co/Pt thin film exhibiting
a strong out-of-plane anisotropy. The electrons spin polarization is then
analysed through the circular polarization of emitted light. All the light
polarization measurements are performed without an external applied magnetic
field \textit{i.e.} in remanent magnetic states. The light polarization as a
function of the magnetic field closely traces the out-of-plane magnetization of
the Co/Pt injector. We could achieve a circular polarization degree of the
emitted light of 3 % at 5 K. Moreover this light polarization remains almost
constant at least up to 200 K.Comment: accepted in AP
Direct Observation of Massless Domain Wall Dynamics in Nanostripes with Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy
Domain wall motion induced by nanosecond current pulses in nanostripes with
perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (Pt/Co/AlO) is shown to exhibit
negligible inertia. Time-resolved magnetic microscopy during current pulses
reveals that the domain walls start moving, with a constant speed, as soon as
the current reaches a constant amplitude, and no or little motion takes place
after the end of the pulse. The very low 'mass' of these domain walls is
attributed to the combination of their narrow width and high damping parameter
. Such a small inertia should allow accurate control of domain wall
motion, by tuning the duration and amplitude of the current pulses
Highly asymmetric magnetic domain wall propagation due to coupling to a periodic pinning potential
Magneto-optical microscopy and magnetometry have been used to study
19 magnetization reversal in an ultrathin magnetically soft [Pt/Co]2 ferromagnetic film
20 coupled to an array of magnetically harder [Co/Pt]4 nanodots via a predominantly
21 dipolar interaction across a 3 nm Pt spacer. This interaction generates a spatially
22 periodic pinning potential for domain walls propagating through the continuous
23 magnetic film. When reversing the applied field with respect to the static nanodot
24 array magnetization orientation, strong asymmetries in the wall velocity and switching
25 fields are observed. Asymmetric switching fields mean that the hysteresis of the film is
26 characterized by a large bias field of dipolar origin which is linked to the wall velocity
27 asymmetry. This latter asymmetry, though large at low fields, vanishes at high fields
28 where the domains become round and compact. A field-polarity-controlled transition
29 from dendritic to compact faceted domain structures is also seen at low field and a
30 model is proposed to interpret the transition
Large anomalous enhancement of perpendicular exchange bias by introduction of a nonmagnetic spacer between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers
This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics.In (Pt/Co)n/FeMnmultilayers, the magnitude of exchange bias,HE, can be considerably enhanced by placing an ultrathin nonmagnetic Pt spacer between the multilayer (ML) and the antiferromagnetic(AFM) layer. The bias is maximum for a spacer layer thickness, t, of a few angstroms and it decreases progressively as t is further increased. This bias enhancement is accompanied by an increase of coercivity,HC. This behavior is due to the role of the Pt spacer in enhancing the perpendicular effective anisotropy of the last Co layer in the ML, which has the effect of increasing the net ferromagnetic (FM)/AFM spin projection, thus leading to the HE and HC enhancements. The decrease of HE and HC for thicker spacer layers is due to the limited range of the FM-AFM proximity effect
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