Fine tuning of FM/AFM interface magnetic anisotropy
We studied epitaxial NiO/Fe(110) and show the spin orientation of the AFM domains in the oxide layer is controlled by the magnetization in the FM layer. The ability to modify the AFM spin orientation via Fe film thickness and temperature opens up possibilities for applications.
M. Ślęzak et al., Nanoscale 12, 18091 (2020); doi: 10.1039/d0nr04193a
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The Fe/W(110) system exhibits a well-known spin-reorientation-transition (SRT) from the [1−10] to the [001] in-plane direction at critical Fe thickness close to 100 Å. This SRT is also found to occur in NiO/Fe(110) bilayers supported on W(110). By using X-ray magnetic circular and linear dichroism photo-emission electron microscopy, we studied the magnetic coupling between Fe and NiO. A special sample was prepared for the microscopy experiments, where the SRT occurs at the boundary separating the Fe regions exhibiting different thicknesses. By tuning interface magnetic anisotropy, thermal hysteresis of spin reorientation transition and interfacial ferromagnet/antiferromagnet exchange coupling, we could stabilize two magnetic states with orthogonal spin orientations in antiferromagnetic NiO. By changing temperature, we could control the SRT in Fe and demonstrate reversible switching between the two antiferromagnetic states in NiO. |
The ability to modify the FM spin orientation "field-free" via Fe film thickness and temperature opens up possibilities in heat assisted magnetic recording technology. Retrieve article
Fine tuning of ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface magnetic anisotropy for field-free switching of antiferromagnetic spins |
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