In Depth Spatially Inhomogeneous Phase Transition in Epitaxial MnAs Film on GaAs(001).

Most studies on MnAs material in its bulk form have been focused on its temperature-dependent structural phase transition accompanied by a magnetic one. Magnetostructural phase transition parameters in thin MnAs films grown on substrates present however some differences from the bulk behavior, and local studies become mandatory for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved within the transition. Up to now, only surface techniques have been carried out, while the transition is a three-dimensional phenomenon. We therefore developed an original nanometer scale methodology using electron holography to investigate the phase transition in an epitaxial MnAs thin film on GaAs(001) from the cross-section view. Using quantitative magnetic maps recorded at the nanometer scale as a function of the temperature, our work provides a direct in situ observation of the inhomogeneous spatial distribution of the transition in the layer depth and brings new insights on the fundamental transition mechanisms.

Low energy Ne ion beam induced-modifications of magnetic properties in MnAs thin films.

Investigations of the complex behavior of the magnetization of manganese arsenide thin films due to defects induced by irradiation of slow heavy ions are presented. In addition to the thermal hysteresis suppression already highlighted in Trassinelli et al (2014 Appl. Phys. Lett. 104 081906), we report here on new local magnetic features recorded by a magnetic force microscope at different temperatures close to the characteristic sample phase transition. Complementary measurements of the global magnetization in different conditions (applied magnetic field and temperatures) enable the film characterization to be completed. The obtained results suggest that the ion bombardment produces regions where the local mechanical constraints are significantly different from the average, promoting the local presence of magneto-structural phases far from the equilibrium. These regions could be responsible for the thermal hysteresis suppression previously reported, irradiation-induced defects acting as seeds in the phase transition.

The role of magnetoelastic and magnetostrictive energies in the magnetization process of MnAs/GaAs epilayers.

In this work we present a detailed study of the anisotropic magnetic behavior of MnAs epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs(001) and GaAs(111)B substrates. An extended approach of the Stoner-Wohlfarth model is used to simulate magnetic hysteresis loops of MnAs epilayers for temperatures around the magnetostructural phase transition. We demonstrate that magnetoelastic and magnetostrictive energy contributions to the magnetic free energy density are crucial to correctly describe the magnetization of both kinds of MnAs epilayers.

Mechanism of localization of the magnetization reversal in 3 nm wide Co nanowires.

The mechanism of magnetization reversal has been studied in a model system of self-assembled cobalt nanowires with a 3 nm diameter. The structure, orientation and size of grains within the nanowires could be determined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The magnetic properties were probed using static and dynamic magnetization measurements. Micromagnetic modeling based on the structural analysis allows us to correlate the structure and the magnetic behavior of the wires, revealing competition between shape anisotropy, magnetocrystalline anisotropy and exchange in the localized reversal within Co hcp oriented grains. These results provide direct experimental evidence of the link between anisotropy fluctuations and reversal localization in nanowires.

Epitaxial Fe films on ZnSe(001): effect of the substrate surface reconstruction on the magnetic anisotropy.

It is well known that Fe films deposited on a c(2 × 2)-reconstructed ZnSe(001) surface show a strong in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. Here, the effect of the substrate reconstruction on the magnetic anisotropy of Fe has been studied by in situ Brillouin light scattering. We found that the in-plane uniaxial anisotropy is strongly reduced for Fe films grown on a (1 × 1)-unreconstructed ZnSe substrate while the in-plane biaxial one is nearly unaffected by the substrate reconstruction. Calculations of magnetic anisotropy energies within the framework of ab initio density functional theory reveal that the strong suppression of anisotropy at the (1 × 1) interface occurs due to complex atomic relaxations as well as the competing effects originating from magnetocrystalline anisotropy and dipole-dipole interactions. For both sharp and intermixed c(2 × 2) interfaces, the magnetic anisotropy is enhanced compared to the (1 × 1) case due to the further lowering of symmetry. The theoretical results are in agreement with the experimental findings.

Strain engineering of the magnetocaloric effect in MnAs epilayers.

By using heteroepitaxy on two different GaAs templates, we have investigated the impact of anisotropic strain on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of MnAs. The temperature range, spread around room temperature, and the maximal MCE position are markedly different in the two epitaxial systems. Simulated MCE curves, obtained from a model based on the mean-field approximation, are in good agreement with the experimental data, indicating that the entropy variation is magnetic in origin. These results illustrate how strain can be used to tune the MCE in materials with coupled structural and magnetic phase transition and suggest that the MCE of MnAs may find applications in microelectronic circuitry.

Biaxial strain in the hexagonal plane of MnAs thin films: the key to stabilize ferromagnetism to higher temperature.

The alpha-beta magnetostructural 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 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 importantly, for the stabilization of the ferromagnetic alpha phase at a higher temperature than in the 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.

Spectroscopic measurement of spin-dependent resonant tunneling through a 3D disorder: the case of MnAs/GaAs/MnAs junctions.

We propose an analytical model of spin-dependent resonant tunneling through a 3D assembly of localized states (spread out in energy and in space) in a barrier. An inhomogeneous distribution of localized states leads to resonant tunneling magnetoresistance inversion and asymmetric bias dependence as evidenced with a set of experiments with MnAs/GaAs(7-10 nm)/MnAs tunnel junctions. One of the key parameters of our theory is a dimensionless critical exponent beta scaling the typical extension of the localized states over the characteristic length scale of the spatial distribution function. Furthermore, we demonstrate, through experiments with localized states introduced preferentially in the middle of the barrier, the influence of an homogeneous distribution on the spin-dependent transport properties.

Structure of ferromagnetic CrAs epilayers grown on GaAs(001).

Magnetic and structural properties of CrAs epilayers grown on GaAs(001) by molecular beam epitaxy have been studied. CrAs epilayers are orthorhombic for all thicknesses investigated but show a structural transition from a metastable phase for very thin films, to the usual bulk MnP-type orthorhombic phase at higher thicknesses. At intermediate thicknesses, there is a predominance of the new phase, although a contribution from the usual CrAs bulk phase remains clearly present. These results strongly suggest that the ferromagnetic signal measured at room temperature comes from the new metastable orthorhombic structure with an expanded b-axis induced by the substrate strain.

Magnetism of the Fe/ZnSe(001) interface.

The magnetism of epitaxial ultrathin films of Fe on ZnSe(001) has been investigated by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism down to the submonolayer regime. In contrast to other metallic ferromagnet/semiconductor interfaces, no reduction of the Fe magnetic moment was found at the Fe/ZnSe(001) interface. Furthermore, a significant enhancement of the Fe magnetic moment compared to the bulk value was observed for coverages up to one monolayer in agreement with theoretical predictions. We also demonstrate that the magnetic properties of the Fe/ZnSe(001) interface remain stable against thermal annealing up to 300 degrees C, a prerequisite for the future development of efficient spintronics devices.