Variation of domain formation in a 15 nm NiFe layer exchange coupled with NiO layers of different thicknesses

The correlation between ferromagnetic domain formation and exchange bias in a series of NiFe/NiO samples with varying NiO thicknesses has been investigated using the magneto-optic Kerr effect and magnetic force microscopy. Below a critical thickness (15 nm) of NiO, the exchange bias HE is zero and ripple domains exist in the NiFe layer. Above this critical thickness, cross-tie type domain walls appear concurrently with the appearance of exchange bias. Both the number of cross-tie domain walls and the exchange bias increase with an increase in NiO thickness, reaching a maximum at 35 nm NiO, after which both show a gradual decrease. This variation of domain wall formation in the NiFe layer with the NiO thickness possibly reflects the variation of the domain structure in the NiO layer through interfacial exchange coupling

Angular dependence of magnetization reversal process in exchange coupled ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bilayers

The angular dependence of the magnetization reversal process in the exchange biased ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bilayers has been investigated carefully using the Stoner–Wohlfarth rotation model. Depending strongly on the orientation of the applied field and the competition between the unidirectional and uniaxial anisotropic energies, the magnetization rotation can occur at either the same side or the different sides of the field direction for the decreasing and increasing field branches of the hysteresis loop. The calculated results and the magneto-optical Kerr effect have been used to understand the magnetization reversal process in the NiFe/NiO bilayers, which is caused mainly by the magnetization rotation

Ferroelectric characterization and growth optimization of thermally evaporated vinylidene fluoride thin films

Organic thin films have numerous advantages over inorganics in device processing and price. The large polarization of the organic ferroelectric oligomer vinylidene fluoride (VDF) could prove useful for both device applications and the investigation of fundamental physical phenomena. A VDF oligomer thin film vacuum deposition process, such as thermal evaporation, preserves film and interface cleanliness, but is challenging, with successful deposition occurring only within a narrow parameter space. We report on the optimal deposition parameters for VDF oligomer thin films, refining the parameter space for successful deposition, resulting in a high yield of robust ferroelectric films. In particular, we investigate the influence of deposition parameters on surface roughness, and the role that roughness plays in sample yield. The reliable production of ferroelectric films allowed us to perform detailed measurements of previously unreported properties, including the Curie temperature, the temperature and thickness dependence of the coercive field, the melting temperature, and the index of refraction. The ability to successfully grow robust, switchable, well-characterized films makes VDF oligomer a viable candidate in the field of organic ferroelectrics

Ferroelectricity and the phase transition in large area evaporated vinylidene fluoride oligomer thin films

Organic ferroelectric materials, including the well-known poly(vinylidene fluoride) and its copolymers, have been extensively studied and used for a variety of applications. In contrast, the VDF oligomer has not been thoroughly investigated and is not widely used, if used at all. One key advantage the oligomer has over the polymer is that it can be thermally evaporated in vacuum, allowing for the growth of complex heterostructures while maintaining interfacial cleanliness. Here, we report on the ferroelectric properties of high-quality VDF oligomer thin films over relatively large areas on the order of mm2. The operating temperature is identified via differential scanning calorimetry and pyroelectric measurements. Pyroelectric measurements also reveal a stable remanent polarization for these films which persists over very long time scales, an important result for nonvolatile data storage. Temperature dependent pyroelectric and capacitance measurements provide compelling evidence for the phase transition in these films. Capacitance-voltage and currentvoltage measurements are used to confirm ferroelectricity, quantify the dielectric loss, and calculate the spontaneous polarization. Finally, piezoresponse force microscopy is used to demonstrate large area, low-voltage ferroelectric domain reading/writing in VDF oligomer thin films. This work enables new channels for VDF oligomer applications and research

Superparamagnetic relaxation of Fe deposited on MgO(001)

Superparamagnetic behavior is investigated for Fe grown at 700 K onto MgO(001) to a thickness equivalent to that of a ten monolayer film. Two such Fe deposits separated by a 200-Å deposit of MgO exhibit a ferromagnetic response with no hysteresis at either 300 or 150 K, but with identical reduced magnetization curves M(H/T) which confirms the existence of superparamagnetism. M(H) data at 300 K were fitted to a Langevin function to yield an average particle size of 100 Å diameter. M(T) for field-cooled and zero-field-cooled samples shows behavior characteristic of superparamagnetic particles with a distribution in particle size. Time-dependent remanent magnetization data measured over a 20 h period at various temperatures show nonexponential decay attributed to the distribution in particle size and interactions among the particles

Oscillatory interlayer exchange coupling in [Pt/Co]\u3ci\u3e\u3csub\u3en\u3c/i\u3e\u3c/sub\u3e/NiO/[Co/Pt]\u3ci\u3e\u3csub\u3en\u3c/i\u3e\u3c/sub\u3e multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy: Dependence on NiO and Pt layer thicknesses

Interlayer exchange coupling has been studied in a series of [Pt( tPt Å)/Co(4 Å)]n/NiO( tNiO)/[Co(4 Å)/Pt( tPt Å)]n multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy. The coupling oscillates between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic as a function of tNiO with a period of ~5 Å, and the oscillatory behavior is related to the antiferromagnetic ordering of the NiO layer. This interlayer coupling between two Co/Pt multilayers is shown to occur domain by domain by magnetic force microscopy imaging. For the strongest antiferromagnetic coupling at tNiO = 11 Å, an oscillation with a period of ~6 Å is superposed onto the exponential decay of the coupling strength as a function of tPt. The exponential decay with tPt is ascribed to the exponential decay of the coupling between the Co layers across the Pt layers in each Co/Pt multilayer, and the superposed oscillatory behavior can be attributed to multiple reflections of electron waves at the Co/Pt interfaces and their interference. A linear dependence of the antiferromagnetic coupling strength on 1/n, (where n is the number of repeats), is suggestive of a surface interaction for this interlayer coupling

ESR investigations on Ca perovskite

Electron spin resonance studies on fine powders of La0.65Ca0.35MnO3, performed in the X band, are reported. The coexistence of paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases, in a narrow temperature range close to the Curie temperature, is observed. The electron spin resonance measurements do not support the presence of bipolarons above the Curie temperature. Temperature dependence of the ESR linewidth is governed by the hopping of polarons and the corresponding activation energy is about 150 meV above Tc

Ferroelectric polymer nanopillar arrays on flexible substrates by reverse nanoimprint lithography

With the increasing interest in deploying ferroelectric polymer in flexible electronics and electromechanics, high-throughput and low-cost fabrication of 3D ferroelectric polymer nanostructures on flexible substrates can be a significant basis for future research and applications. Here, we report that large arrays of ferroelectric polymer nanopillars can be prepared directly on soft, flexible substrates by using low-cost polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft-mold reverse nanoimprint lithography at 135 °C and at pressures as low as 3 bar. The nanopillar arrays were highly uniform over large areas of at least 200 × 200 μm and had good crystallinity with nearly optimum (110) orientation. Furthermore, the method leaves little or no residual polymer layer, fully isolating the nanopillars to avoid cross-talk and, obviating the need for additional etching processes that arises with conventional low-contrast nanoimprinting. The ferroelectric properties of individual nanopillars were probed by piezoresponse force microscopy, which showed that they exhibited switchable and bi-stable polarization. In addition, the polarization hysteresis loops probed by pyroelectric measurements of the entire array showed that the nanopillar capacitor arrays had good ferroelectric switching characteristics, over areas of at least 1 mm × 1 mm

Influence of dynamical scattering in crystalline poly„vinylidene

The effective Debye temperature of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymers was measured using photoemission and neutron diffraction techniques. An effective Debye temperature of 53611K is obtained from the photoemission data and 6963.5K from neutron diffraction measurements. This effective Debye temperature is a consequence of the temperature-dependent dynamic motions perpendicular to the surface of these crystalline polymer films

Influence of dynamical scattering in crystalline poly„vinylidene

The effective Debye temperature of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymers was measured using photoemission and neutron diffraction techniques. An effective Debye temperature of 53611K is obtained from the photoemission data and 6963.5K from neutron diffraction measurements. This effective Debye temperature is a consequence of the temperature-dependent dynamic motions perpendicular to the surface of these crystalline polymer films