ALBERT

Notes: Magnetic anisotropies of ultrathin transition-metal films are inherently related to their structural properties. In ultrathin films the large fraction of atoms located at the film interface generates strong interface anisotropies, whereas elastic strain fields caused by the forced registry of atoms at the substrate/film interface induce magnetoelastic anisotropy contributions. So far the experimental confirmation of the transition from these thin-film properties to bulk anisotropy properties, characterized by a dominating magnetocrystalline anisotropy, has not yet been presented. Magnetic anisotropies reflect, depending on their origin, both the crystallographic symmetry and the symmetry of the film geometry. For a clear separation between magnetoelastic, magnetocrystalline and Néel-type interface anisotropy contributions, the film symmetry and thickness must be chosen such that the respective different anisotropy contributions appear with different symmetries and film thickness dependencies. This is the case for (110)-oriented fcc Co films. In the present study we use the Brillouin light-scattering technique for the determination of the anisotropy contributions. An analysis of the spin-wave frequency measured as a function of the in-plane direction of the external field and the film thickness yields information about all relevant anisotropies. The samples used were molecular-beam-epitaxy grown in ultrahigh vacuum. Onto a Cu (110) single-crystal substrate a wedge-type sample and two staircase-shaped samples with distinct thicknesses in the range of 8–110 A(ring) were grown.To obtain symmetric Co/Cu interfaces the Co layers were covered with a 12 A(ring) Cu layer. Finally, a 25-A(ring)-thick Au protective layer was deposited. Low-energy electron-diffraction studies were used to obtain the structural data of the films. All relevant anisotropy contributions—the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, and the uniaxial in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropy contributions—were determined. Three different anisotropy regimes are observed as a function of the Co layer thickness dCo. This thickness regime up to 13 A(ring) is dominated by the magnetoelastic anisotropy contributions as a result of the pseudomorphic film growth of the Co layer. For Co layer thicknesses larger than 13 A(ring) we find a reduction of the magnetoelastic anisotropy contributions. This is structurally correlated to an anisotropic relaxation of the in-plane Co lattice constant. In the regime of dCo(approximately-greater-than)50 A(ring) we observe a thickness-independent value for the magnetocrystalline anisotropy contribution K1=−8.5×105 erg/cm3. This anisotropy contribution is largely suppressed for dCo〈50 A(ring). This finding might either indicate a breakdown of the usually postulated linear superposition principle of magnetic anisotropy contributions to the free anisotropy energy, or it might point to a subtle modification of the electronic band structure. At the onset of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy we find a change in the easy magnetization direction from 〈001〉 for thin Co films to 〈111〉 for thicker ones. For a more detailed discussion see Ref. .

Notes: Recently the interlayer exchange coupling strength in Co/Ru multilayered structures was found to oscillate between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic coupling as a function of the Ru layer thickness.1,2 However, in the ferromagnetic coupling regimes, the determination of the interlayer coupling constant, A12, cannot be performed using standard magnetometry methods. Here we demonstrate that Brillouin light scattering from thermally activated spin waves in multilayered structures is applicable for the determination of the interlayer exchange coupling strength both in the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic regimes.2 In multilayered structures consisting of alternating magnetic and nonmagnetic layers, dipolar spin-wave modes exist within each magnetic layer (so-called Damon–Eshbach modes), which couple across the intervening nonmagnetic layer. Due to the coupling between the magnetic layers, which is dipolar as well as of exchange type, the spin-wave modes form a band of collective spin-wave excitations.3–5 Two different types of collective modes exist: (i) The so-called stack surface mode, for which the spins of all magnetic layers precess in phase. The frequency of this mode is independent of any exchange coupling, but is sensitive to the net magnetization of the multilayer stack. (ii) The collective bulk modes. Their frequencies depend both on the interlayer exchange constant as well as on the layer-to-layer distribution of the directions of the magnetization.6,7 In addition, in the regime of large antiferromagnetic coupling, a new collective spin-wave mode is found in theoretical investigations, which is reminiscent of the "optic'' high-frequency spin-wave mode of antiferromagnetic bulk material.6,7 This mode goes soft with decreasing canting angle between neighboring magnetic layers.The spin-wave frequencies, and therefore A12, are found to oscillate as a function of the Ru layer thickness in the Co/Ru multilayers with a period of 11.5 A(ring) and in the permalloy/Ru multilayered system with a period of 12 A(ring). In comparison to the Co/Ru multilayers we find for the permalloy/Ru multilayers characteristic differences: First, the amplitude of the oscillation is smaller by a factor of two compared to the Co/Ru system. This effect may be attributed to the reduced saturation magnetization of permalloy. Second, we find evidence for an additional, short-period oscillation with the first minimum in the spin-wave frequencies, i.e., correspondingly in A12, at dRu=8 A(ring). Its periodicity is estimated as between 5–8 A(ring). To our knowledge this is first evidence for the presence of a short-period oscillation in a sputtered multilayered system. From the data, however, the decay in oscillation amplitude cannot be extracted due to the rather small number of observed oscillations and the comparably large error in the determination of A12. A more detailed presentation of these data is reported elsewhere.8

Notes: Ion irradiation is an excellent tool to modify magnetic properties on the submicrometer scale, without modification of the sample topography. We utilize this effect to magnetically pattern exchange bias double layers using resist masks patterned by electron-beam lithography. Ion irradiation through the masks leads to a lateral modification of the magnetization reversal behavior and allows one to study the magnetization reversal as a function of the exchange bias field strength on a single sample. Results are presented on the macroscopic and microscopic magnetization reversal using the magneto-optic Kerr effect and magnetic force microscopy, respectively. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: We report on investigations of the crystallographic structure and the magnetic anisotropies of epitaxial iron films deposited onto periodically stepped Ag(001) surfaces using low energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, second harmonic generation (SHG), as well as the Brillouin light scattering (BLS) technique. The focus of the present study lies on the interrelation between the surface morphology of the buffer layers and the magnetic properties of the Fe films, epitaxially grown onto them. Especially the symmetry breaking at the atomic steps is found to create an uniaxial magnetic anisotropy measured by BLS and a very strong anisotropic signal in magnetic SHG. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: We report results of the switching properties of thin magnetic films described by Stoner-like magnetic blocks subject to ultrashort, laterally localized magnetic field pulses, obtained by numerical investigations. Perpendicularly magnetized films exhibit a magnetization reversal due to a 4 ps magnetic field pulse, which can be explained with a coherent rotation model. Although the magnetic field pulse is short compared to the ferromagnetic resonance precession time, the time needed for the relaxation of the magnetization to the equilibrium state is rather large. In addition, we show numerical results for the magnetization reversal of an in-plane magnetized sample with uniaxial in-plane anisotropy. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: The switching dynamics of magnetic tunnel junctions has been studied by means of time resolved magneto-optic Kerr magnetometry. Magnetic field pulses as short as 250 ps are found to be sufficiently long to switch the storage content of the element. In order to test the write endurance the magnetization of one single element has been reversed 1011 times. Shortly after the initialization of the hard magnetic layer the magnetization reversal process of the soft magnetic layer remains unchanged, indicating that no further degradation of the pinned layer comes into effect. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: The exchange bias effect in ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic sandwich structures is generally believed to be sensitive on the interface exchange interaction, the magnetization, and the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer. Also the interface structure plays a crucial role. We show that, by irradiating samples with He ions, we can manipulate the exchange bias field in a controlled manner. Depending on the dose (1014–1017 ions/cm2) and the acceleration voltage (10–35 kV) of the ions, the shift of the hysteresis can be reduced or even fully suppressed. Potential applications of this effect for magnetic patterning on the nanoscale will be discussed. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: Short magnetic-field pulses may be used in the near future to change the magnetization state in magnetic storage devices. In order to minimize the time required for this process, and thus to maximize the switching speed of such devices, the magnetization precession after the termination of the magnetic-field pulse needs to be suppressed to a maximum degree. It is demonstrated experimentally that the appropriate adjustment of the field pulse parameters may lead to a full suppression of the magnetization precession immediately upon termination of the field pulse. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.