Ultrafast optical parametric pumping of magnetization reorientation and precessional dynamics in DyFe2/YFe2 exchange springs.

The magnetization dynamics of a wound [DyFe(2)(20 Å)/YFe(2)(80 Å)](×40) exchange spring multilayer have been explored in optical pump probe experiments. Ultrafast optical heating was used to modify the magnetic parameters of the multilayer, while the time resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect was used to probe its response. Although the probe signal is dominated by precession and winding of the exchange spring within the soft YFe(2) layer, reorientation of the DyFe(2) hard-layer magnetization is detected on time scales less than 100 ps. Micromagnetic simulations reproduce the main features of the experimental data and indicate a dramatic optically induced reduction of the hard-layer anisotropy. The results establish the feasibility of switching a spring system by means of parametric excitation.

Interface characterization of epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions.

Following predictions by first-principles theory of a huge tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect in epitaxial Fe/MgO/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), measured magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of about 200% at room temperature (RT) have been reported in MgO-based epitaxial MTJs. Recently, a MR ratio of about 600% has been reported at RT in MgO-based MTJs prepared by magnetron sputtering, using amorphous CoFeB as the ferromagnetic electrode. These MTJs show great potential for application in spintronic devices. Fully epitaxial MTJs are excellent model systems that enhance our understanding of the spin-dependent tunneling process as the interface is well defined and can be fully characterized. Both theoretical calculations and experimental results clearly indicate that the interfacial structure plays a crucial role in the coherent tunneling across a single crystal MgO barrier, especially in epitaxial MgO-based MTJs grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Surface X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectra, and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism techniques have been reported previously for interface characterization. However, no consistent viewpoint has been reached on the interfacial structures (such as FeO layer formation at the bottom Fe/MgO interface), and it is still an open issue. In this article, our recent studies on the interface characterization of MgO-based epitaxial MTJs by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and spin-dependent tunneling spectroscopy, will be presented.

High-resolution x-ray scattering from epitaxial thin films of Y/Nb on Al2O3.

During the 1990s, Roger Cowley had a strong interest in the crystal and magnetic structures of rare-earth superlattices as a means to understand the rich and exotic magnetic properties of the rare-earth metals. High-quality samples can be grown by molecular beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates by first depositing a thin epitaxial layer of niobium, then a layer of yttrium or lutetium as a seed. High-resolution x-ray scattering is an excellent probe to characterise the crystal quality and was used to study the structure of the niobium layer. However, relatively little attention was paid to the seed layer. This article summarises some of the x-ray experiments performed by the Cowley group to study the structure of epitaxial [Formula: see text] niobium on [Formula: see text] sapphire, and extends the work to report some results on the structure of thin [Formula: see text] yttrium seed layers. The structure of the yttrium films is shown to have a strong dependence on the thickness of the niobium buffer, with the buffer needing to be thicker than a critical value of ∼80 [Formula: see text] for the formation of misfit dislocations at the Nb/Al2O3 interface before highly coherent Y films can be grown. Yttrium films grown on Nb buffers thinner than ∼500 [Formula: see text] show a similar two-peak line shape in [Formula: see text] scans through their specular Bragg peaks to that seen in the specular Nb Bragg peaks, with a resolution-limited feature on a broader diffuse peak. The resolution-limited feature depends on the thickness of the yttrium film, becoming weaker and having a stronger decay with increasing [Formula: see text] as the film thickness increases, while the width of the yttrium broad peak evolves as the square root of the width of the niobium Bragg peak. The data are discussed within the context of theories describing the scattering from films with misfit dislocations.

Controlling spin-dependent tunneling by bandgap tuning in epitaxial rocksalt MgZnO films.

Widespread application of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) for information storage has so far been limited by the complicated interplay between tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio and the product of resistance and junction area (RA). An intricate connection exists between TMR ratio, RA value and the bandgap and crystal structure of the barrier, a connection that must be unravelled to optimise device performance and enable further applications to be developed. Here, we demonstrate a novel method to tailor the bandgap of an ultrathin, epitaxial Zn-doped MgO tunnel barrier with rocksalt structure. This structure is attractive due to its good Δ1 spin filtering effect, and we show that MTJs based on tunable MgZnO barriers allow effective balancing of TMR ratio and RA value. In this way spin-dependent transport properties can be controlled, a key challenge for the development of spintronic devices.

Switching the in-plane easy axis by ion implantation in rare earth based magnetic films.

Ar(+) ions have been implanted into Laves phase epitaxial thin films of YFe(2) and DyFe(2). Magneto-optical Kerr effect and vibrating sample magnetometry experiments show that the easy and hard axes of magnetization in both materials rotate through an in-plane angle of 90°, whilst the strength of the magnetic anisotropy remains unaltered. This is supported by OOMMF computational modelling. Atomic force microscopy confirms that the film roughness is not affected by implanted ions. X-ray diffraction data show that the lattice parameter expands upon ion implantation, corresponding to a release of strain throughout the entire film following implantation with a critical fluence of 10(17) Ar(+) ions cm(-2). The anisotropy of the films is linked to the strain and from these data it is concluded that the source of anisotropy alters from one where magnetoelastic and magnetocrystalline effects compete to one which is governed solely by magnetocrystalline effects. The ability to locally tune the source of magnetic anisotropy without affecting the film surface and without inducing or eliminating anisotropy could be important in the fabrication of high density magnetic data storage media, spintronic devices and magneto-optical materials.

The antiferromagnetic structures of IrMn3 and their influence on exchange-bias.

We have determined the magnetic structures of single-crystal thin-films of IrMn3 for the crystallographic phases of chemically-ordered L12, and for chemically-disordered face-centred-cubic, which is the phase typically chosen for information-storage devices. For the chemically-ordered L12 thin-film, we find the same triangular magnetic structure as reported for the bulk material. We determine the magnetic structure of the chemically-disordered face-centred-cubic alloy for the first time, which differs from theoretical predictions, with magnetic moments tilted away from the crystal diagonals towards the face-planes. We study the influence of these two antiferromagnetic structures on the exchange-bias properties of an epitaxial body-centred-cubic Fe layer showing that magnetization reversal mechanism and bias-field in the ferromagnetic layer is altered significantly. We report a change of reversal mechanism from in-plane nucleation of 90° domain-walls when coupled to the newly reported cubic structure towards a rotational process, including an out-of-plane magnetization component when coupled to the L12 triangular structure.

Interlayer diffusion studies of a Laves phase exchange spring superlattice.

Rare earth Laves phase (RFe(2)) superlattice structures grown at different temperatures are studied using x-ray reflectivity (XRR), x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The optimized molecular beam epitaxy growth condition is matched with the XRR simulation, showing minimum diffusion/roughness at the interfaces. Electron microscopy characterization reveals that the epitaxial growth develops from initial 3D islands to a high quality superlattice structure. Under this optimum growth condition, chemical analysis by electron energy loss spectroscopy with high spatial resolution is used to study the interface. The analysis shows that the interface roughness is between 0.6 and 0.8 nm and there is no significant interlayer diffusion. The locally sharp interface found in this work explains the success of simple structural models in predicting the magnetic reversal behavior of Laves exchange spring superlattices.

The influence of interfacial roughness on the coherence of structure and magnetic coupling across barriers in Fe/MgO multilayers.

Single-crystal Fe/MgO multilayers are model systems in which to study magnetic tunnel junctions. We find that the interfacial roughness leads to the loss of coherence of the crystal structure. For thick MgO layers ferromagnetic (FM) ordering is found using polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR). For thin MgO layers magnetization measurements reveal the presence of antiferromagnetic (AF) interactions, but no long-range AF order is found using PNR. After cycling in a hysteresis loop, FM correlations are found at the coercive point, and this will limit the maximum tunnelling magnetoresistance.

Perpendicular antiferromagnetic ordering of Mn and exchange anisotropy in Fe/Mn multilayers.

Fe/Mn is a model system in which to study exchange bias, since the antiferromagnetic (AF) Mn layers are believed to have uncompensated moments with all spins aligned in the plane and parallel to those of the Fe. We have determined the microscopic AF ordering at the interfaces using single-crystal neutron diffraction. An unexpected magnetic structure is obtained, with out-of-plane Mn moments perpendicular to those of Fe. This explains the low bias field and shows that the simple AF ordering assumed in a variety of exchange-biased systems may well have to be revised.

Magnetization process in holmium: easy axis spin reorientation induced by the magnetostrictive basal plane distortion.

We report on the change of the easy axis direction in holmium, from the a to the b axis, under the application of a magnetic field in the basal plane. This spin reorientation is observed by measuring the magnetic torque in Ho(n)/Lu(15) superlattices (n and 15 are the number of atomic planes in the Ho and Lu blocks). We also observe that, at the field H0 and temperature at which the reorientation occurs, both axes are easy directions. Based on the fact that the field H0 depends on n in the same way as the field-induced magnetoelastic distortion does, we propose that this spin reorientation originates from the strong field-induced magnetoelastic deformation within the basal plane. The modulation of the alpha strains with sixfold symmetry originates a 12-fold term in the magnetic anisotropy energy.