We present Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy (MRFM) measurements of Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR) in a 50 nm thick permalloy film, tilted with respect to the direction of the external magnetic field. At small probe-sample distances the MRFM spectrum breaks up into multiple modes, which we identify as local ferromagnetic resonances confined by the magnetic field of the MRFM tip. Micromagnetic simulations support this identification of the modes and show they are stabilized in the region where the dipolar tip field has a component anti-parallel to the applied field.
We report Ferromagnetic Resonance Force Microscopy (FMRFM) experiments on a justaposed continuous films of permalloy and cobalt. Our studies demonstrate the capability of FMRFM to perform local spectroscopy of different ferromagnetic materials. Theoretical analysis of the uniform resonance mode near the edge of the film agrees quantitatively with experimental data. Our experiments demonstrate the micron scale lateral resolution in determining local magnetic properties in continuous ferromagnetic samples.
Imaging the magnetic configuration of thin-films has been a long-standing area of research. Since a few years, the emergence of two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials calls for innovation in the field of magnetic imaging. As the magnetic moments are extremely small, standard techniques like SQUID, torque magnetometry, magnetic force microscopy and Kerr effect microscopy are challenging and often lead to the detection of parasitic magnetic contributions or spurious effects. In this work, we report a new magnetic microscopy technique based on the combination of magnetic circular dichroism and S…
Voids adjacent to both cubic (ZnS-type) and hexagonal (NiAs-type) Mn-rich nanocrystals are characterized using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy in annealed Ga0.995Mn0.005As magnetic semiconductor specimen grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Nano-beam electron diffraction measurements suggest that the nanocrystals exhibit deviations in lattice parameter from that of bulk MnAs. In situ annealing inside the electron microscope is used to study the nucleation, coalescence, and grain growth of individual nanocrystals. After annealing at 903 K, the magnetic transition temperature o…
A high-amplitude microwave magnetic field localized at the nanoscale is a desirable tool for various applications within the rapidly developing field of nanomagnetism. Here, we drive magnetization precession by coherent phonons in a metal ferromagnetic nanograting and generate ac-magnetic induction with extremely high amplitude (up to $10$ mT) and nanometer scale localization in the grating grooves. We trigger the magnetization by a laser pulse which excites localized surface acoustic waves. The developed technique has prospective uses in several areas of research and technology, including spa…
We study the enhancement of the magnetic transition temperature $T_c$ due to incident light in ferromagnetic semiconductors such as EuS. The photoexcited carriers mediate an extra ferromagnetic interaction due to the coupling with the localized magnetic moments. The Hamiltonian consists of a Heisenberg model for the localized moments and an interaction term between the photoexcited carriers and the localized moments. The model predicts a small enhancement of the transition temperature in semi-quantitative agreement with the experiments.
Ballistic Electron Emission Microscopy on CoSi${}_2$/Si(111) interfaces: band structure induced atomic-scale resolution and role of localized surface states
New structure data for the high-temperature diluted magnetic semiconductor Si:Mn, synthesized by laser method are presented. The higher resolution transmission electron microscopy and diffraction was applied in two crystal directions of epitaxial layers of DMS Si:Mn with elimination of the contribution from GaAs substrate and interface. It is established, that the DMS Si:Mn can be represent as compound with variable composition Si2+xMn1-x (0 <x <1), single-phase diamond like structure, high crystal perfection and the self-organized formation of the super-lattice structures with the period equa…
We investigate the electromechanical interactions in individual P(VDF-TrFE) nanowires in response to localized electrical poling via a conducting atomic force microscope tip. Spatially resolved measurements of piezoelectric coefficients and elastic moduli before and after poling reveal a striking dependence on the polarity of the poling field, notably absent in thin films of the same composition. These observations are attributed to the unclamped nature of the nanowires and the inherent asymmetry in their chemical and electrical interactions with the tip and underlying substrate. Our findings …
The spectrum of localized excitations in an anisotropic one-dimensional ferromagnet containing a spin cluster of arbitrary size is found exactly within the framework of the discrete Takeno-Homma model. The boundaries of stability of spin nanoclusters are determined, depending on their size, and the exchange and the anisotropy parameter of the ferromagnet. The problem of the spin waves scattering against nanoclusters is solved and explicit analytical expressions for their reflection and transmission coefficients are obtained. A model of a metamaterial consisting of weakly interacting magnetic m…
We investigate the effect of an applied uniaxial strain on the ferromagnetic instability due to long- range Coulomb interaction between Dirac fermions in graphene. In case of undeformed graphene the ferromagnetic exchange instability occurs at sufficiently strong interaction within the Hartree- Fock approximation. In this work we show that using the same theoretical framework but with an additional applied uniaxial strain, the transition can occur for much weaker interaction, within the range in suspended graphene. We also study the consequence of strain on the formation of localized magnetic …
Understanding the fundamental dynamics of topological vortex and antivortex naturally formed in micro/nanoscale ferromagnetic building blocks under external perturbations is crucial to magnetic vortex based information processing and spintronic devices. All previous studies have focused on magnetic vortex-core switching via external magnetic fields, spin-polarized currents, or spin waves, which have largely prohibited the investigation of novel spin configurations that could emerge from the ground states in ferromagnetic disks and their underlying dynamics. Here, we report in situ visualizatio…
Metallic Mn-based alloys with a nearest-neighbor Mn-Mn distance greater than 0.4 nm exhibit large, well-localized magnetic moments. Here we investigate the magnetism of tetragonal Au4Mn with a Curie temperature of 385 K, where manganese has a spin moment of 4.1 muB and its orbital moment is quenched. Since 80% of the atoms are gold, the spin orbit interaction is strong and Au4Mn exhibits uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy with surface maze domains at room temperature. The magnetic hardness parameter of 1.0 is sufficient to maintain the magnetization along the c-axis for a sample of any sha…
We determined the bulk electronic structure in the prototypical Heusler compound Cu$_2$MnAl by measuring the Angular Correlation of Annihilation Radiation (2D-ACAR) using spin-polarized positrons. To this end, a new algorithm for reconstructing 3D densities from projections is introduced that allows us to corroborate the excellent agreement between our electronic structure calculations and the experimental data. The contribution of each individual Fermi surface sheet to the magnetization was identified, and summed to a total spin magnetic moment of $3.6\,\pm\,0.5\,μ_B/\mathrm{f.u.}$.
We investigate the magnetization dynamics in circular Permalloy dots with spatially separated magnetic vortices interconnected by domain walls (double vortex state). We identify a novel type of quasi one-dimensional (1D) localised spin wave modes confined along domain walls, connecting each of two vortex cores with two edge half-antivortices. Variation of the mode eigenfrequencies with the dot size is in quantitative agreement with the developed model, which considers a dipolar origin of the localized 1D spin waves or so-called Winterś magnons [J.M. Winter, Phys.Rev. 124, 452 (1961)]. These sp…
Commercially successful magnetic tunnel junction can harness the unmatched capabilities of molecular device elements by solving decade-old fabrication issues. Utilization of magnetic tunnel junction as a testbed for molecules also enables unprecedented magnetic studies of molecular spintronics devices. This paper utilizes magnetic force microscopy (MFM) to vividly show that organometallic molecules when bridged between two ferromagnetic electrodes along the magnetic tunnel junction edges, transformed the magnetic electrodes itself. Molecules impacted several hundred-micron areas of ferromagnet…
In the present work, we report on the in situ magnetic force microscopy (MFM) study of the magnetization reversal in two-dimensional arrays of ferromagnetic Ni80Fe20 and Co55Fe45 nanowires(NW) with different diameters (40, 50, 70 and 100 nm) deposited inside low porosity (P<1%) nanoporous polycarbonate membranes. In such arrays, the nanowires are sufficiently isolated from each other so that long range dipolar interactions can be neglected. The MFM experiments performed for different magnetization states at the same spot of the samples are analysed to determine the switching field distribution…
We report the experimental observation of magnetic skyrmion-like states in patterned ferromagnetic nanostructures consisting of perpendicular magnetized Co/Pt multilayer film exchange coupled with Co nanodisks in vortex state. The magnetic force microscopy and micromagnetic simulations show that depending on the magnitude of Co/Pt perpendicular anisotropy in these systems two different modes of skyrmion formation are realized.
Domains in BaTiO$_3$ induces a regular modulation of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in CoFeB via an inverse magnetostriction effect. As a result, the domain structures of the CoFeB wedge film and BaTiO$_3$ substrate correlate fully and straight ferroelectric domain boundaries in BaTiO$_3$ pin magnetic domain walls in CoFeB. We use x-ray photoemission electron microscopy and magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy to characterize the spin structure of the pinned domain walls. In a rotating magnetic field, abrupt and reversible transitions between two domain wall types occur, namely, narrow walls w…
We report on the evolution of ferromagnetic domain walls during magnetization reversal in elastically coupled ferromagnetic-ferroelectric heterostructures. Using optical polarization microscopy and micromagnetic simulations, we demonstrate that the spin rotation and width of ferromagnetic domain walls can be accurately controlled by the strength of the applied magnetic field if the ferromagnetic walls are pinned onto 90 degrees ferroelectric domain boundaries. Moreover, reversible switching between magnetically charged and uncharged domain walls is initiated by magnetic field rotation. Switchi…
HRTEM, nano-beam electronic diffraction, energy dispersive X-rays scanning spectroscopy, Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM) and FerroMagnetic Resonance (FMR) techniques are used in view of comparing (static and dynamic) magnetic and structural properties of Co2MnGe (13 nm)/Al2O3 (3 nm)/Co (13 nm) tunnel magnetic junctions (TMJ), deposited on various single crystalline substrates (a-plane sapphire, MgO(100) and Si(111)). They allow for providing a correlation between these magnetic properties and the fine structure investigated at atomic scale. The Al2O3 tunnel barrier is always amorphous and …
Magnetization and magnetic microstructure of top soft magnetic layer (Fe), which is exchange spring coupled to bottom hard magnetic layer ($L1_0$ FePt) is studied using high resolution Kerr microscopy. When the sample (FePt/Fe) is at remanent condition of hard magnetic layer, considerable shifting of Fe layer hysteresis loop from centre i.e., exchange bias phenomena is observed. It is observed that one can tune the magnitude of exchange bias shift by reaching the remanent state from different saturating fields ($H_{SAT}$) and also by varying the angle between measuring field and $H_{SAT}$. The…
Diluted magnetic semiconductors including Mn-doped GaAs are attractive for gate-controlled spintronics but Curie transition at room temperature with long-range ferromagnetic order is still debatable to date. Here, we report the room-temperature ferromagnetic domains with long-range order in semiconducting V-doped WSe2 monolayer synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. Ferromagnetic order is manifested using magnetic force microscopy up to 360K, while retaining high on/off current ratio of ~105 at 0.1% V-doping concentration. The V-substitution to W sites keep a V-V separation distance of 5 nm…
Spin wave modes confined in a ferromagnetic film by the spatially inhomogeneous magnetic field generated by a scanned micromagnetic tip of a ferromagnetic resonance force microscope (FMRFM) enable microscopic imaging of the internal fields and spin dynamics in nanoscale magnetic devices. Here we report a detailed study of spin wave modes in a thin ferromagnetic film localized by magnetic field configurations frequently encountered in FMRFM experiments, including geometries in which the probe magnetic moment is both parallel and antiparallel to the applied uniform magnetic field. We demonstrate…
We studied the ferromagnetic topology in a Y$_{0.67}$Ca$_{0.33}$MnO$_3$ thin film with a combination of magnetic force microscopy and magnetization measurements. Our results show that the spin-glass like behavior, reported previously for this system, could be attributed to frustrated interfaces of the ferromagnetic clusters embedded in a non-ferromagnetic matrix. We found temperature dependent changes of the magnetic topology at low temperatures, which suggests a non-static Mn$^{3+}$/Mn$^{4+}$ ratio.
We demonstrate that kinetics play an important role in the epitaxial growth of Fe$_3$GeTe$_2$ (FGT) van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnetic films by molecular beam epitaxy. By varying the deposition rate, we control the formation or suppression of an initial tellurium-deficient non-van der Waals phase (Fe$_3$Ge$_2$) prior to realizing epitaxial growth of the vdW FGT phase. Using cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy, we optimize the FGT films to have atomically smooth surfaces and abrupt interfaces with the Ge(111) substrate. The magnetic propert…
We have studied the properties of relatively thick (about 120 nm) magnetic composite films grown by pulsed laser deposition method using (GaSb)$_{0.59}$(MnSb)$_{0.41}$ eutectic compound as a target for sputtering. For the studied films we have observed ferromagnetism and anomalous Hall effect above the room temperature, it manifests the presence of spin-polarized carriers. Electron microscopy, atomic and magnetic force microscopy results suggests that films under study have homogenous columnar structure in the bulk while MnSb inclusions accumulate near it's surface. This is in good agreement w…
The progress of magnetization reversal of weakly packed ferromagnetic Ni80Fe20 nanowire arrays of different diameters (40, 50, 70 and 100 nm) electrodeposited in polycarbonate membranes was studied by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). For such a low packing density of nanomagnets, the dipolar interactions between neighbouring wires can be neglected. The intrinsic switching field distribution has been extracted from in situ MFM images and its width was found to be considerably smaller than for densely packed nanowire arrays.
The antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition in B2-ordered FeRh is imaged in laterally confined nanopatterned islands using photoemission electron microscopy with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism contrast. The resulting magnetic images directly detail the progression in the shape and size of the FM phase domains during heating and cooling through the transition. In 5 um square islands this domain development during heating is shown to proceed in three distinct modes: nucleation, growth, and merging, each with subsequently greater energy costs. In 0.5 um islands, which are smaller t…
Three-dimensional (3D) X-ray diffraction methods were used to analyze the evolution of the load-induced rearrangements of monoclinic twin microstructures within bulk nickel-titanium specimens in 3D and across six orders of magnitude in length scales: changes in lattice plane spacings and orientations at the nanoscale, growth and nucleation of martensite twin variants at the microscale, and localization of plastic strain into deformation bands at the macroscale. Portions of the localized deformation bands were reconstructed in situ and in 3D. Analyses of the data elucidate the sequence of twin …
We present an imaging modality that enables detection of magnetic moments and their resulting stray magnetic fields. We use wide-field magnetic imaging that employs a diamond-based magnetometer and has combined magneto-optic detection (e.g. magneto-optic Kerr effect) capabilities. We employ such an instrument to image magnetic (stripe) domains in multilayered ferromagnetic structures.
The static conductivity of the dilute magnetic semiconductor GaMnAs is calculated using the memory function formalism and time-dependent density-functional theory to account for impurity scattering and to treat Hartree and exchange interactions within the hole gas. We find that the Coulomb scattering off the charged impurities alone is not sufficient to explain the experimentally observed drop in resistivity below the ferromagnetic transition temperature: the often overlooked scattering off the fluctuations of localized spins is shown to play a significant role.
Cr2Ge2Te6 is an intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductor with van der Waals type layered structure, thus represents a promising material for novel electronic and spintronic devices. Here we combine scanning tunneling microscopy and first-principles calculations to investigate the electronic structure of Cr2Ge2Te6. Tunneling spectroscopy reveals a surprising large energy level shift and change of energy gap size across the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition, as well as a peculiar double-peak electronic state on the Cr-site defect. These features can be quantitatively explained by densi…
We present the development of the first ultrafast transmission electron microscope (UTEM) driven by localized photoemission from a field emitter cathode. We describe the implementation of the instrument, the photoemitter concept and the quantitative electron beam parameters achieved. Establishing a new source for ultrafast TEM, the Göttingen UTEM employs nano-localized linear photoemission from a Schottky emitter, which enables operation with freely tunable temporal structure, from continuous wave to femtosecond pulsed mode. Using this emission mechanism, we achieve record pulse properties in …
Magnetic skyrmions are topological spin textures holding great potential as nanoscale information carriers. Recently, skyrmions have been predicted in antiferromagnets, with key advantages in terms of stability, size, and dynamical properties over their ferromagnetic analogs. However, their experimental demonstration is still lacking. Here, we show the imprint from ferromagnetic skyrmions into a thin film of an IrMn antiferromagnet, at room temperature and zero external magnetic field, using exchange-bias. Using high-spatial-resolution x-ray magnetic circular dichroism photoemission electron m…
We study the heat-induced magnetization dynamics in a toy model of a ferrimagnetic alloy, which includes localized spins antiferromagnetically coupled to an itinerant carrier system with a Stoner gap. We determine the one-particle spin-density matrix including exchange scattering between localized and itinerant bands as well as scattering with phonons. While a transient ferromagnetic-like state can always be achieved by a sufficiently strong excitation, this transient ferromagnetic-like state only leads to magnetization switching for model parameters that also yield a compensation point in the…
We experimentally image the magnetic precession phase of patterned spin Hall multilayer samples to study the rf driving field vector using time-resolved anomalous Nernst effect (TRANE) microscopy. Our ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements quantify the phase and amplitude for both the magnetic precession and the electric current, which allows us to establish the total driving field orientation and the strength of spin Hall effect. In a channel of uniform width, we observe spatial variation of the FMR phase laterally across the channel. We interpret our findings in the context of electrical…
