45 research outputs found
Magnetization reversal and anomalous coercive field temperature dependence in MnAs epilayers grown on GaAs(100) and GaAs(111)B
The magnetic properties of MnAs epilayers have been investigated for two
different substrate orientations: GaAs(100) and GaAs(111). We have analyzed the
magnetization reversal under magnetic field at low temperatures, determining
the anisotropy of the films. The results, based on the shape of the
magnetization loops, suggest a domain movement mechanism for both types of
samples. The temperature dependence of the coercivity of the films has been
also examined, displaying a generic anomalous reentrant behavior at T200 K.
This feature is independent of the substrate orientation and films thickness
and may be associated to the appearance of new pinning centers due to the
nucleation of the -phase at high temperatures.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Fast atom diffraction inside a molecular beam epitaxy chamber, a rich combination
Two aspects of the contribution of grazing incidence fast atom diffraction
(GIFAD) to molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are reviewed here: the ability of GIFAD
to provide \emph{in-situ} a precise description of the atomic-scale surface
topology, and its ability to follow larger-scale changes in surface roughness
during layer-by-layer growth. Recent experimental and theoretical results
obtained for the He atom beam incident along the highly corrugated direction of the (24) reconstructed GaAs(001) surface are
summarized and complemented by the measurements and calculations for the beam
incidence along the weakly corrugated [010] direction where a periodicity twice
smaller as expected is observed. The combination of the experiment, quantum
scattering matrix calculations, and semiclassical analysis allows in this case
to reveal structural characteristics of the surface. For the in situ
measurements of GIFAD during molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs on GaAs surface we
analyse the change in elastic and inelastic contributions in the scattered
beam, and the variation of the diffraction pattern in polar angle scattering.
This analysis outlines the robustness, the simplicity and the richness of the
GIFAD as a technique to monitor the layer-by-layer epitaxial growth
Ultrasonic triggering of giant magnetocaloric effect in MnAs thin films
Mechanical control of magnetic properties in magnetostrictive thin films
offers the unexplored opportunity to employ surface wave acoustics in such a
way that acoustic triggers dynamic magnetic effects. The strain-induced
modulation of the magnetic anisotropy can play the role of a high frequency
varying effective magnetic field leading to ultrasonic tuning of electronic and
magnetic properties of nanostructured materials, eventually integrated in
semiconductor technology. Here, we report about the opportunity to employ
surface acoustic waves to trigger magnetocaloric effect in
MnAs(100nm)/GaAs(001) thin films. During the MnAs magnetostructural phase
transition, in an interval range around room temperature (0{\deg}C -
60{\deg}C), ultrasonic waves (170 MHz) are strongly attenuated by the phase
coexistence (up to 150 dB/cm). We show that the giant magnetocaloric effect of
MnAs is responsible of the observed phenomenon. By a simple anelastic model we
describe the temperature and the external magnetic field dependence of such a
huge ultrasound attenuation. Strain-manipulation of the magnetocaloric effect
could be a further interesting route for dynamic and static caloritronics and
spintronics applications in semiconductor technology
Biaxial Strain in the Hexagonal Plane of MnAs Thin Films: The Key to Stabilize Ferromagnetism to Higher Temperature
The alpha-beta magneto-structural phase transition in MnAs/GaAs(111)
epilayers is investigated by elastic neutron scattering. The in-plane parameter
of MnAs remains almost constant with temperature from 100 K to 420 K, following
the thermal evolution of the GaAs substrate. This induces a temperature
dependent biaxial strain that is responsible for an alpha-beta phase
coexistence and, more important, for the stabilization of the ferromagnetic
alpha-phase at higher temperature than in bulk. We explain the premature
appearance of the beta-phase at 275 K and the persistence of the ferromagnetic
alpha-phase up to 350 K with thermodynamical arguments based on the MnAs phase
diagram. It results that the biaxial strain in the hexagonal plane is the key
parameter to extend the ferromagnetic phase well over room temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
Biaxial Strain in the Hexagonal Plane of MnAs Thin Films: The Key to Stabilize Ferromagnetism to Higher Temperature
The alpha-beta magneto-structural phase transition in MnAs/GaAs(111)
epilayers is investigated by elastic neutron scattering. The in-plane parameter
of MnAs remains almost constant with temperature from 100 K to 420 K, following
the thermal evolution of the GaAs substrate. This induces a temperature
dependent biaxial strain that is responsible for an alpha-beta phase
coexistence and, more important, for the stabilization of the ferromagnetic
alpha-phase at higher temperature than in bulk. We explain the premature
appearance of the beta-phase at 275 K and the persistence of the ferromagnetic
alpha-phase up to 350 K with thermodynamical arguments based on the MnAs phase
diagram. It results that the biaxial strain in the hexagonal plane is the key
parameter to extend the ferromagnetic phase well over room temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
Suppression of the thermal hysteresis in magnetocaloric MnAs thin film by highly charged ion bombardment
We present the investigation on the modifications of structural and magnetic
properties of MnAs thin film epitaxially grown on GaAs induced by slow highly
charged ions bombardment under well-controlled conditions. The ion-induced
defects facilitate the nucleation of one phase with respect to the other in the
first-order magneto-structural MnAs transition with a consequent suppression of
thermal hysteresis without any significant perturbation on the other structural
and magnetic properties. In particular, the irradiated film keeps the giant
magnetocaloric effect at room temperature opening new perspective on magnetic
refrigeration technology for everyday use
Interface bonding of a ferromagnetic/semiconductor junction : a photoemission study of Fe/ZnSe(001)
We have probed the interface of a ferromagnetic/semiconductor (FM/SC)
heterojunction by a combined high resolution photoemission spectroscopy and
x-ray photoelectron diffraction study. Fe/ZnSe(001) is considered as an example
of a very low reactivity interface system and it expected to constitute large
Tunnel Magnetoresistance devices. We focus on the interface atomic environment,
on the microscopic processes of the interface formation and on the iron
valence-band. We show that the Fe contact with ZnSe induces a chemical
conversion of the ZnSe outermost atomic layers. The main driving force that
induces this rearrangement is the requirement for a stable Fe-Se bonding at the
interface and a Se monolayer that floats at the Fe growth front. The released
Zn atoms are incorporated in substitution in the Fe lattice position. This
formation process is independent of the ZnSe surface termination (Zn or Se).
The Fe valence-band evolution indicates that the d-states at the Fermi level
show up even at submonolayer Fe coverage but that the Fe bulk character is only
recovered above 10 monolayers. Indeed, the Fe 1-band states,
theoretically predicted to dominate the tunneling conductance of Fe/ZnSe/Fe
junctions, are strongly modified at the FM/SC interface.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Physical review
Resonant tunneling magnetoresistance in epitaxial metal-semiconductor heterostructures
We report on resonant tunneling magnetoresistance via localized states
through a ZnSe semiconducting barrier which can reverse the sign of the
effective spin polarization of tunneling electrons. Experiments performed on
Fe/ZnSe/Fe planar junctions have shown that positive, negative or even its
sign-reversible magnetoresistance can be obtained, depending on the bias
voltage, the energy of localized states in the ZnSe barrier and spatial
symmetry. The averaging of conduction over all localized states in a junction
under resonant condition is strongly detrimental to the magnetoresistance
Imaging the antiparallel magnetic alignment of adjacent Fe and MnAs thin films
The magnetic coupling between iron and alpha - MnAs in the epitaxial system
Fe/MnAs/GaAs(001) has been studied at the sub-micron scale, using element
selective x-ray photoemission electron microscopy. At room temperature, MnAs
layers display ridges and grooves, alternating alpha (magnetic) and beta
(non-magnetic) phases. The self-organised microstructure of MnAs and the stray
fields that it generates govern the local alignment between the Fe and alpha -
MnAs magnetization directions, which is mostly antiparallel with a marked
dependence upon the magnetic domain size