Non-volatile voltage control of magnetization and magnetic domain walls in magnetostrictive epitaxial thin films

DOI: 10.1063/1.4745789

Authors: D. Parkes (University of Nottingham) , S. Cavill (Diamond Light Source) , A. Hindmarch (University of Nottingham) , P. Wadley (University of Nottingham) , F. Mcgee (University of Nottingham) , C. R. Staddon (University of Nottingham) , K. Edmonds (University of Nottingham) , R. P. Campion (University of Nottingham) , B. L. Gallagher (University of Nottingham) , A. Rushforth (University of Nottingham)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Applied Physics Letters , VOL 101 (7)

State: Published (Approved)
Published: August 2012

Abstract: We demonstrate reproducible voltage induced non-volatile switching of the magnetization in an epitaxial thin Fe81Ga19 film. Switching is induced at room temperature and without the aid of an external magnetic field. This is achieved by the modification of the magnetic anisotropy by mechanical strain induced by a piezoelectric transducer attached to the layer. Epitaxial Fe81Ga19 is shown to possess the favourable combination of cubic magnetic anisotropy and large magnetostriction necessary to achieve this functionality with experimentally accessible levels of strain. The switching of the magnetization proceeds by the motion of magnetic domain walls, also controlled by the voltage induced strain.

Journal Keywords: Magnetic anisotropy; Epitaxy; Domain walls; Magnetic fields; Magnetostriction

Diamond Keywords: Data Storage

Subject Areas: Physics, Materials, Information and Communication Technology


Instruments: I06-Nanoscience (XPEEM)

Added On: 23/11/2012 18:42

Discipline Tags:

Surfaces Physics Components & Micro-systems Information & Communication Technologies Magnetism interfaces and thin films

Technical Tags:

Spectroscopy Circular Dichroism (CD) X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD)