arXiv subjects

J. Zemen

Publications and source records attributed to J. Zemen.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Non-thermal laser induced precession of magnetization in ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As

Non-thermal laser induced spin excitations, recently discovered in conventional oxide and metal ferromagnets, open unprecedented opportunities for research and applications of ultrafast optical manipulation of magnetic systems. Ferromagnetic semiconductors, and (Ga,Mn)As in particular, should represent ideal systems for exploring this new field. Remarkably, the presence of non-thermal effects has remained one of the outstanding unresolved problems in the research of ferromagnetic semiconductors to date. Here we demonstrate that coherent magnetization dynamics can be excited in (Ga,Mn)As non-thermally by a transfer of angular momentum from circularly polarized femtosecond laser pulses and by a combination of non-thermal and thermal effects due to a transfer of energy from laser pulses. The thermal effects can be completely suppressed in piezo-electrically controlled samples. Our work is based on pump-and-probe measurements in a large set of (Ga,Mn)As epilayers and on systematic analysis of circular and linear magneto-optical coefficients. We provide microscopic theoretical interpretation of the experimental results.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Strain control of magnetic anisotropy in (Ga,Mn)As microbars

We present an experimental and theoretical study of magnetocrystalline anisotropies in arrays of bars patterned lithographically into (Ga,Mn)As epilayers grown under compressive lattice strain. Structural properties of the (Ga,Mn)As microbars are investigated by high-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements. The experimental data, showing strong strain relaxation effects, are in good agreement with finite element simulations. SQUID magnetization measurements are performed to study the control of magnetic anisotropy in (Ga,Mn)As by the lithographically induced strain relaxation of the microbars. Microscopic theoretical modeling of the anisotropy is performed based on the mean-field kinetic-exchange model of the ferromagnetic spin-orbit coupled band structure of (Ga,Mn)As. Based on the overall agreement between experimental data and theoretical modeling we conclude that the micropatterning induced anisotropies are of the magnetocrystalline, spin-orbit coupling origin.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2009

Magneto crystalline anisotropies in (Ga,Mn)As: A systematic theoretical study and comparison with experiment

We present a theoretical survey of magnetocrystalline anisotropies in (Ga,Mn)As epilayers and compare the calculations to available experimental data. Our model is based on an envelope function description of the valence band holes and a spin representation for their kinetic-exchange interaction with localised electrons on Mn ions, treated in the mean-field approximation. For epilayers with growth induced lattice-matching strains we study in-plane to out-of-plane easy-axis reorientations as a function of Mn local-moment concentration, hole concentration, and temperature. Next we focus on the competition of in-plane cubic and uniaxial anisotropies. We add an in-plane shear strain to the effective Hamiltonian in order to capture measured data in bare, unpatterned epilayers, and we provide microscopic justification for this approach. The model is then extended by an in-plane uniaxial strain and used to directly describe experiments with strains controlled by postgrowth lithography or attaching a piezo stressor. The calculated easy-axis directions and anisotropy fields are in semiquantitative agreement with experiment in a wide parameter range.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

Domain walls in (Ga,Mn)As diluted magnetic semiconductor

We report experimental and theoretical studies of magnetic domain walls in an in-plane magnetized (Ga,Mn)As dilute moment ferromagnetic semiconductor. Our high-resolution electron holography technique provides direct images of domain wall magnetization profiles. The experiments are interpreted based on microscopic calculations of the micromagnetic parameters and Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert simulations. We find that the competition of uniaxial and biaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropies in the film is directly reflected in orientation dependent wall widths, ranging from approximately 40 nm to 120 nm. The domain walls are of the Néel type and evolve from near-$90^{\circ}$ walls at low-temperatures to large angle [1$\bar{1}$0]-oriented walls and small angle [110]-oriented walls at higher temperatures.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

Voltage control of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in ferromagnetic - semiconductor/piezoelectric hybrid structures

We demonstrate dynamic voltage control of the magnetic anisotropy of a (Ga,Mn)As device bonded to a piezoelectric transducer. The application of a uniaxial strain leads to a large reorientation of the magnetic easy axis which is detected by measuring longitudinal and transverse anisotropic magnetoresistance coefficients. Calculations based on the mean-field kinetic-exchange model of (Ga,Mn)As provide microscopic understanding of the measured effect. Electrically induced magnetization switching and detection of unconventional crystalline components of the anisotropic magnetoresistance are presented, illustrating the generic utility of the piezo voltage control to provide new device functionalities and in the research of micromagnetic and magnetotransport phenomena in diluted magnetic semiconductors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Magnetocrystalline anisotropy controlled local magnetic configurations in (Ga,Mn)As spin-transfer-torque microdevices

The large saturation magnetization in conventional dense moment ferromagnets offers flexible means of manipulating the ordered state through demagnetizing shape anisotropy fields but these dipolar fields, in turn, limit the integrability of magnetic elements in information storage devices. We show that in a (Ga,Mn)As dilute moment ferromagnet, with comparatively weaker magnetic dipole interactions, locally tunable magnetocrystalline anisotropy can take the role of the internal field which determines the magnetic configuration. Experiments and theoretical modeling are presented for lithographically patterned microchannels and the phenomenon is attributed to lattice relaxations across the channels. The utility of locally controlled magnetic anisotropies is demonstrated in current induced switching experiments. We report structure sensitive, current induced in-plane magnetization switchings well below the Curie temperature at critical current densities 10^5 Acm^-2. The observed phenomenology shows signatures of a contribution from domain-wall spin-transfer-torque effects.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗