Publication
Article Metrics
Citations
Online attention
Exchange-spring-driven spin flop in an ErFe_{2}/YFe_{2} multilayer studied by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevB.84.104428
Authors:
G. B. G.
Stenning
(University of Southampton)
,
A. R.
Buckingham
(University of Southampton)
,
G. J.
Bowden
(University of Southampton)
,
R. C. C.
Ward
(Oxford University)
,
G.
Van Der Laan
(Diamond Light Source)
,
L. R
Shelford
(Diamond Light Source)
,
F.
Maccherozzi
(Diamond Light Source)
,
S. S.
Dhesi
(Diamond Light Source)
,
P. A. J.
De Groot
(University of Southampton)
Co-authored by industrial partner:
No
Type:
Journal Paper
Journal:
Physical Review B
, VOL 84 (10)
State:
Published (Approved)
Published:
September 2011
Abstract: X-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Er M4,5 edge is used to study the switching behavior of the hard ErFe2 layers in an epitaxial [ErFe2(70 Å)/YFe2(150 Å)] × 25 exchange-spring superlattice. Magnetic hysteresis loops for the Er magnetization, at temperatures T < 200 K, reveal a single irreversible switch between a vertical exchange spring and its reversed state. Experiments at T > 200 K reveal a crossover to a regime with two irreversible switching processes. Computational modeling for this system gives good agreement with the experiment, revealing that the observed high-temperature switching behavior is due to an exchange-spring-driven spin-flop-like transition. In contrast to the conventional spin-flop transition in an antiferromagnet, the increase in anisotropy energy of the hard magnetic ErFe2 layers and Fe-Fe exchange energy is overcome by a decrease in overall Zeeman energy. Computational studies also reveal two types of transitions between vertical exchange-spring and spin-flop states with first-order and second-order character.
Subject Areas:
Physics
Instruments:
I06-Nanoscience
Discipline Tags:
Technical Tags: