arXiv subjects

H. Zabel

Publications and source records attributed to H. Zabel.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Artificial helical nanomagnets

We demonstrate the existence of a helical state in patterned multilayer nanomagnets. The artificial helimagnets consist of a stack of single domain ferromagnetic disks separated by insulating nonmagnetic spacers. The spiral state is shown to originate from the magnetostatic interaction between nearest and next nearest neighbouring single-domain disks in the stack. Since the magnetostatic interaction for such disks is rather strong, the helical state should be stable at room temperature. The helimagnets were fabricated from a [Co/Si]*3 multilayer using electron beam lithography. The helical state was confirmed by a magnetic stray field analysis using magnetic force microscopy.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Magnetism and structure of magnetic multilayers based on the fully spin polarized Heusler alloys Co2MnGe and Co2MnSn

Our Introduction starts with a short general review of the magnetic and structural properties of the Heusler compounds which are under discussion in this book. Then, more specifically, we come to the discussion of our experimental results on multilayers composed of the Heusler alloys Co2MnGe and Co2MnSn with V or Au as interlayers. The experimental methods we apply combine magnetization and magneto-resistivity measurements, x-ray diffraction and reflectivity, soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and spin polarized neutron reflectivity. We find that below a critical thickness of the Heusler layers at typically dcr = 1.5 nm the ferromagnetic order is lost and spin glass order occurs instead. For very thin ferromagnetic Heusler layers there are peculiarities in the magnetic order which are unusual when compared to conventional ferromagnetic transition metal multilayer systems. In [Co2MnGe/Au] multilayers there is an exchange bias shift at the ferromagnetic hysteresis loops at low temperatures caused by spin glass ordering at the interface. In [Co2MnGe/V] multilayers we observe an antiferromagnetic interlayer long range ordering below a well defined Neel temperature originating from the dipolar stray fields at the magnetically rough Heusler layer interfaces.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2005

X-Ray Scattering at Lanthanide M5 Resonances: Application to Magnetic Depth Profiling

Quantitative analyses of x-ray scattering from thin films of Ho and Dy metal at the M_5 resonances result in values of the optical constants and the magnetic scattering lengths f_m, with f_m as large as 200 r_0. The observation of first- and second-order magnetic satellites allows to separate f_m into circular and linear dichroic contributions. This high magnetic sensitivity, in conjunction with the tunable x-ray probing depth across the resonance can be applied to monitor depth profiles of complex magnetic structures, as e.g. of helical antiferromagnetic domains in a Dy metal film.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2005

Quantum States of Neutrons in Magnetic Thin Films

We have studied experimentally and theoretically the interaction of polarized neutrons with magnetic thin films and magnetic multilayers. In particular, we have analyzed the behavior of the critical edges for total external reflection in both cases. For a single film we have observed experimentally and theoretically a simple behavior: the critical edges remain fixed and the intensity varies according to the angle between the polarization axis and the magnetization vector inside the film. For the multilayer case we find that the critical edges for spin up and spin down polarized neutrons move towards each other as a function of the angle between the magnetization vectors in adjacent ferromagnetic films. Although the results for multilayers and single thick layers appear to be different, in fact the same spinor method explains both results. An interpretation of the critical edges behavior for the multilyers as a superposition of ferromagnetic and antifferomagnetic states is given.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2005

Magnetic induction and domain walls in magnetic thin films at remanence

Magnetic domain walls in thin films can be well analyzed using polarized neutron reflectometry. Well defined streaks in the off-specular spin-flip scattering maps are explained by neutron refraction at perpendicular Néel walls. The position of the streaks depends only on the magnetic induction within the domains, whereas the intensity of the off-specular magnetic scattering depends on the spin-flip probability at the domain walls and on the average size of the magnetic domains. This effect is fundamentally different and has to be clearly distinguished from diffuse scattering originating from the size distribution of magnetic domains. Polarized neutron reflectivity experiments were carried out using a $^3$He gas spin-filter with a analyzing power as high as 96% and a neutron transmission of approx 35%. Furthermore, the off-specular magnetic scattering was enhanced by using neutron resonance and neutron standing wave techniques.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2003

Positive and Perpendicular Exchange Bias CoO/Co Bilayers

We have carried out detailed experimental studies of the exchange bias effect of a series of CoO/Co(111) textured bilayers with different Co layer thickness, using the magneto-optical Kerr effect, SQUID magnetometry, polarized neutron reflectivity, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. All samples exhibit a pronounced asymmetry of the magnetic hysteresis at the first magnetization reversal as compared to the second reversal. Polarized neutron reflectivity measurements show that the first reversal occurs via nucleation and domain wall motion, while the second reversal is characterized by magnetization rotation. Off-specular diffuse spin-flip scattering indicates the existence of interfacial magnetic domains. All samples feature a small positive exchange bias just below the blocking temperature, followed by a dominating negative exchange bias field with decreasing temperature. For very thin Co-films the coexistence of ferromagnetic domains with parallel and perpendicular magnetization directions leads to a peculiar shape of the hysteresis with an extended plateau like region of almost zero magnetization.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2002

Spin-resolved off-specular neutron scattering from magnetic domain walls using the polarized $^3He$ gas spin filter

We report on the use of the polarized $^3$He gas filter and neutron resonant enhancement techniques for the measurement of spin-polarized diffuse neutron scattering due to ferromagnetic domains. A CoO/Co exchange biased bilayer was grown on a Ti/Cu/$Al_2O_3$ neutron resonator template. The system is cooled in an applied magnetic field of $H_a=2000$ Oe through the Néel temperature of the antiferromagnet to 10 K where the applied magnetic field is swept as to measure the magnetic hysteresis loop. After the second magnetization reversal at the coercive field $H_{c2}=+ 230$ Oe, the system is supposed to approach the original magnetic configuration. In order to prove that this is not the case for our exchange biased bilayer, we have measured four off-specular maps I++, I+-, I-+, I-- at $H_a \approx + 370$ Oe, where the Co magnetic spins were mostly reversed. They show a striking behavior in the total reflection region: while the nonspin-flip scattering exhibits no diffuse reflectivity, the spin-flip scattering shows strong diffuse scattering at incident angles which satisfy the resonance conditions. Moreover the spin-flip off-specular part of the reflectivity is asymmetric. The I-+ intensity occurs at higher exit angles than the specularly reflected neutrons, and the I+- intensity is shifted to lower angles. Their intensities are noticeably different and there is a splitting of the resonance positions for the up and down neutron spins ($α_{n} ^{+} \ne α_{n} ^{-}$) . Additionally, a strong influence of the stray fields from magnetic domains to the resonance splitting is observed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv1998

Reorientation of Spin Density Waves in Cr(001) Films induced by Fe(001) Cap Layers

Proximity effects of 20 Åthin Fe layers on the spin density waves (SDWs) in epitaxial Cr(001) films are revealed by neutron scattering. Unlike in bulk Cr we observe a SDW with its wave vector Q pointing along only one {100} direction which depends dramatically on the film thickness t_{Cr}. For t_{Cr} < 250 Åthe SDW propagates out-of-plane with the spins in the film plane. For t_{Cr} > 1000 Åthe SDW propagates in the film plane with the spins out-of-plane perpendicular to the in-plane Fe moments. This reorientation transition is explained by frustration effects in the antiferromagnetic interaction between Fe and Cr across the Fe/Cr interface due to steps at the interface.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗