arXiv subjects

A. Thiaville

Publications and source records attributed to A. Thiaville.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

NV-center imaging of bubble domains in a 6 Å film of cobalt with perpendicular magnetization

We employ a scanning NV-center microscope to perform stray field imaging of bubble magnetic domains in a perpendicularly magnetized Pt/Co/AlOx trilayer with 6 Å of Co. The stray field created by the domain walls is quantitatively mapped with few-nanometer spatial resolution, with a probe-sample distance of about 100 nm. As an example of application, we show that it should be possible to determine the Bloch or Néel nature of the domain walls, which is of crucial importance to the understanding of current-controlled domain wall motion.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Quantitative stray field imaging of a magnetic vortex core

Thin-film ferromagnetic disks present a vortex spin structure whose dynamics, added to the small size (~10 nm) of their core, earned them intensive study. Here we use a scanning nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center microscope to quantitatively map the stray magnetic field above a 1 micron-diameter disk of permalloy, unambiguously revealing the vortex core. Analysis of both probe-to-sample distance and tip motion effects through stroboscopic measurements, allows us to compare directly our quantitative images to micromagnetic simulations of an ideal structure. Slight perturbations with respect to the perfect vortex structure are clearly detected either due to an applied in-plane magnetic field or imperfections of the magnetic structures. This work demonstrates the potential of scanning NV microscopy to map tiny stray field variations from nanostructures, providing a nanoscale, non-perturbative detection of their magnetic texture.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Skyrmion confinement in ultrathin film nanostructures in the presence of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction

We study the modification of micromagnetic configurations in nanostructures, due to the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) that appear at the interface of an ultrathin film. We show that this interaction leads to new micromagnetic boundary conditions that bend the magnetization at the edges. We explore several cases of ultrathin film nanostructures that allow analytical calculations (1D systems, domain walls, cycloids and skyrmions), compare with fully numerical calculations, and show that a good physical understanding of this new type of micromagnetics can be reached. We particularly focus on skyrmions confined in circular nanodots and show that edges allow for the isolation of single skyrmions for a large range of the DMI parameter.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Stray-field imaging of magnetic vortices with a single diamond spin

Despite decades of advances in magnetic imaging, obtaining direct, quantitative information with nanometer scale spatial resolution remains an outstanding challenge. Recently, a new technique has emerged that employs a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defect in diamond as an atomic-size magnetometer. Although NV magnetometry promises significant advances in magnetic imaging, the effectiveness of the technique, when applied to realistic magnetic nanostructures, remains to be demonstrated. Here we use a scanning NV magnetometer to image a magnetic vortex, which is one of the most iconic object of nanomagnetism, owing to the small size (~10 nm) of the vortex core. We report three-dimensional, vectorial, and quantitative measurements of the stray magnetic field emitted by a vortex in a ferromagnetic square dot, including the detection of the vortex core. We find excellent agreement with micromagnetic simulations, both for regular vortex structures and for higher-order magnetization states. These experiments establish scanning NV magnetometry as a practical and unique tool for fundamental studies in nanomagnetism.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Domain wall tilting in the presence of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in out-of-plane magnetized magnetic nanotracks

We show that the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) can lead to a tilting of the domain wall (DW) surface in perpendicularly magnetized magnetic nanotracks when DW dynamics is driven by an easy axis magnetic field or a spin polarized current. The DW tilting affects the DW dynamics for large DMI and the tilting relaxation time can be very large as it scales with the square of the track width. The results are well explained by an analytical model based on a Lagrangian approach where the DMI and the DW tilting are included. We propose a simple way to estimate the DMI in a magnetic multilayers by measuring the dependence of the DW tilt angle on a transverse static magnetic field. Our results shed light on the current induced DW tilting observed recently in Co/Ni multilayers with inversion asymmetry, and further support the presence of DMI in these systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2012

Practical use of waveguides for polarized neutrons studies

We present the use of planar waveguides to produce neutron microbeams in order to investigate magnetic micro-structures with a micrometric spatial resolution. We report experimental results on such measurements on a polarized neutron reflectometer using a nonmagnetic waveguide structure to probe an amorphous magnetic microwire. The spin-resolved transmission of a neutron microbeam through a microwire was studied. The one dimensional mapping of the neutron precession across the wire was measured.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Nanoscale magnetic field mapping with a single spin scanning probe magnetometer

We demonstrate quantitative magnetic field mapping with nanoscale resolution, by applying a lock-in technique on the electron spin resonance frequency of a single nitrogen-vacancy defect placed at the apex of an atomic force microscope tip. In addition, we report an all-optical magnetic imaging technique which is sensitive to large off-axis magnetic fields, thus extending the operation range of diamond-based magnetometry. Both techniques are illustrated by using a magnetic hard disk as a test sample. Owing to the non-perturbing and quantitative nature of the magnetic probe, this work should open up numerous perspectives in nanomagnetism and spintronics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Field-induced domain wall propagation: beyond the one-dimensional model

We have investigated numerically the field-driven propagation of perpendicularly magnetized ferromagnetic layers. It was then compared to the historical one-dimensional domain wall (DW) propagation model widely used in spintronics studies of magnetic nanostructures. In the particular regime of layer thickness (h) of the order of the exchange length, anomalous velocity peaks appear in the precessional regime, their shape and position shifting with h. This has also been observed experimentally. Analyses of the simulations show a distinct correlation between the curvature of the DW and the twist of the magnetization vector within it, and the velocity peak. Associating a phenomenological description of this twist with a four-coordinate DW propagation model, we reproduce very well these kinks and show that they result from the torque exerted by the stray field created by the domains on the twisted magnetization. The position of the peaks is well predicted from the DW's first flexural mode frequency, and depends strongly on the layer thickness. Comparison of the proposed model to DW propagation data obtained on dilute semiconductor ferromagnets GaMnAs and GaMnAsP sheds light on the origin of the measured peaks.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2005

Magnetostrictive hysteresis of TbCo/CoFe multilayers and magnetic domains

Magnetic and magnetostrictive hysteresis loops of TbCo/CoFe multilayers under field applied along the hard magnetization axis are studied using vectorial magnetization measurements, optical deflectometry and magneto optical Kerr microscopy. Even a very small angle misalignment between hard axis and magnetic field direction is shown to drastically change the shape of magnetization and magnetostrictive torsion hysteresis loops. Two kinds of magnetic domains are revealed during the magnetization: big regions with opposite rotation of spontaneous magnetization vector and spontaneous magnetic domains which appear in a narrow field interval and provide an inversion of this rotation. We show that the details of the hysteresis loops of our exchange-coupled films can be described using the classical model of homogeneous magnetization rotation of single uniaxial films and the configuration of observed domains. The understanding of these features is crucial for applications (for MEMS or microactuators) which benefit from the greatly enhanced sensitivity near the point of magnetic saturation at the transverse applied field.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2005

Micromagnetic understanding of current-driven domain wall motion in patterned nanowires

In order to explain recent experiments reporting a motion of magnetic domain walls (DW) in nanowires carrying a current, we propose a modification of the spin transfer torque term in the Landau-Lifchitz-Gilbert equation. We show that it explains, with reasonable parameters, the measured DW velocities as well as the variation of DW propagation field under current. We also introduce coercivity by considering rough wires. This leads to a finite DW propagation field and finite threshold current for DW propagation, hence we conclude that threshold currents are extrinsic. Some possible models that support this new term are discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗