arXiv subjects

Roy W. Chantrell

Publications and source records attributed to Roy W. Chantrell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

AC Field-driven orientational crossover and energy dissipation in suspended magnetic nanoparticles

By combining the Landau--Lifshitz--Gilbert equation with Brownian rotational dynamics of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), we theoretically investigate the role of particle rotation through easy-axis reorientation in magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH). Our results reveal a field-driven crossover in the stationary orientation of the easy axes, from predominantly perpendicular to predominantly parallel or antiparallel to the applied field as the field amplitude increases. Although the precise crossover field depends on particle size and excitation frequency, it occurs at approximately $0.5H_k$, where $H_k$ is the uniaxial anisotropy field. These orientational regimes are directly linked to the underlying microscopic dynamics and the associated MFH performance through the occurrence of switching and non-switching hysteresis cycles, predominantly associated with N\'eel magnetization reversal and Brownian particle rotation, respectively. The relative importance of these dissipation mechanisms also depends on frequency: at $f=1$ MHz, Brownian heating dominates at low field amplitudes, whereas N\'eel heating dominates at high fields. By contrast, at $f=100$ kHz, both contributions remain comparable over most of the investigated field range.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Negative temperature coefficient of Gilbert damping in magnetic bilayers

The Gilbert damping of magnetic materials is an important magnetic parameter that determines the switching speed and energy dissipation of spintronic devices. In simple metals, the intrinsic Gilbert damping increases with temperature and diverges near the Curie temperature as a result of spin fluctuations. Here we present atomistic simulations and experimental measurements showing surprising and opposite behavior in Py/Nd bilayers, where the Gilbert damping decreases with increasing temperature. The effect arises because of the enhanced damping at the interface as a result of spin pumping, where elevated temperatures cause a dynamic separation of the interfacial and bulk magnetization during relaxation. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the damping can be controlled by varying the thickness of the Nd capping layer. Our findings present a new spintronic effect that can be used to modify the dynamic properties of nanoscale materials and devices for enhanced energy efficiency or with improved switching dynamics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Ultra-high spin emission from antiferromagnetic FeRh

An antiferromagnet emits spin currents when time-reversal symmetry is broken. This is typically achieved by applying an external magnetic field below and above the spin-flop transition or by optical pumping. In this work we apply optical pump-THz emission spectroscopy to study picosecond spin pumping from metallic FeRh as a function of temperature. Intriguingly we find that in the low-temperature antiferromagnetic phase the laser pulse induces a large and coherent spin pumping, while not crossing into the ferromagnetic phase. With temperature and magnetic field dependent measurements combined with atomistic spin dynamics simulations we show that the antiferromagnetic spin-lattice is destabilised by the combined action of optical pumping and picosecond spin-biasing by the conduction electron population, which results in spin accumulation. We propose that the amplitude of the effect is inherent to the nature of FeRh, particularly the Rh atoms and their high spin susceptibility. We believe that the principles shown here could be used to produce more effective spin current emitters. Our results also corroborate the work of others showing that the magnetic phase transition begins on a very fast picosecond timescale, but this timescale is often hidden by measurements which are confounded by the slower domain dynamics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Single-shot laser-induced switching of an exchange biased antiferromagnet

Ultrafast manipulation of magnetic order has challenged our understanding the fundamental and dynamic properties of magnetic materials. So far single shot magnetic switching has been limited to ferrimagnetic alloys and multilayers. In ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AFM) bilayers, exchange bias (He) arises from the interfacial exchange coupling between the two layers and reflects the microscopic orientation of the antiferromagnet. Here we demonstrate the possibility of single shot switching of the antiferromagnet (change of the sign and amplitude of He) with a single femtosecond laser pulse in IrMn/CoGd bilayers. We demonstrate the switching for a wide range of fluences for different layer thicknesses and compositions. Atomistic simulations predict ultrafast switching and recovery of the AFM magnetization on a timescale of 2 ps. These results provide the fastest and the most energy-efficient method to set the exchange bias and pave the way to potential applications for ultrafast spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Generalised form of the magnetic anisotropy field in micromagnetic and atomistic spin models

We present a general approach to the derivation of the effective anisotropy field which determines the dynamical behaviour of magnetic spins according to the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The approach is based on the gradient in spherical polar coordinates with the final results being expressed in Cartesian coordinates as usually applied in atomistic and micromagnetic model calculations. The approach is generally valid for all orders of anisotropies including higher order combinations of azimuthal and rotational anisotropies often found in functional magnetic materials such as permanent magnets and an emerging class of antiferromagnetic materials with applications in spintronics. Anisotropies are represented in terms of spherical harmonics which have the important property of rational temperature scaling. Effective field vectors are given for anisotropies up to sixth order, presenting a unified framework for implementing higher order magnetic anisotropies in numerical simulations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Models of Advance Recording Systems: A Multi-timescale Micromagnetic code for granular thin film magnetic recording systems

Micromagnetic modelling provides the ability to simulate large magnetic systems accurately without the computational cost limitation imposed by atomistic modelling. Through micromagnetic modelling it is possible to simulate systems consisting of thousands of grains over a time range of nanoseconds to years, depending upon the solver used. Here we present the creation and release of an open-source multi-timescale micromagnetic code combining three key solvers: Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert; Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch; Kinetic Monte Carlo. This code, called MARS (Models of Advanced Recording Systems), is capable of accurately simulating the magnetisation dynamics in large and structurally complex single- and multi-layered granular systems. The short timescale simulations are achieved for systems far from and close to the Curie point via the implemented Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert and Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch solvers respectively. This enables read/write simulations for general perpendicular magnetic recording and also state of the art heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). The long timescale behaviour is simulated via the Kinetic Monte Carlo solver, enabling investigations into signal-to-noise ratio and data longevity. The combination of these solvers opens up the possibility of multi-timescale simulations within a single software package. For example the entire HAMR process from initial data writing and data read back to long term data storage is possible via a single simulation using MARS. The use of atomistic parameterisation for the material input of MARS enables highly accurate material descriptions which provide a bridge between atomistic simulation and real world experimentation. Thus MARS is capable of performing simulations for all aspects of recording media research and development. This ranges from material characterisation and optimisation to system design and implementation.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2020

Single femtosecond laser pulse excitation of individual cobalt nanoparticles

Laser-induced manipulation of magnetism at the nanoscale is a rapidly growing research topic with potential for applications in spintronics. In this work, we address the role of the scattering cross section, thermal effects, and laser fluence on the magnetic, structural, and chemical stability of individual magnetic nanoparticles excited by single femtosecond laser pulses. We find that the energy transfer from the fs laser pulse to the nanoparticles is limited by the Rayleigh scattering cross section, which in combination with the light absorption of the supporting substrate and protective layers determines the increase in the nanoparticle temperature. We investigate individual Co nanoparticles (8 to 20 nm in size) as a prototypical model system, using x-ray photoemission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy upon excitation with single femtosecond laser pulses of varying intensity and polarization. In agreement with calculations, we find no deterministic or stochastic reversal of the magnetization in the nanoparticles up to intensities where ultrafast demagnetization or all-optical switching is typically reported in thin films. Instead, at higher fluences, the laser pulse excitation leads to photo-chemical reactions of the nanoparticles with the protective layer, which results in an irreversible change in the magnetic properties. Based on our findings, we discuss the conditions required for achieving laser-induced switching in isolated nanomagnets.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Non-equilibrium heating path for utrafast laser-induced nucleation of skyrmion lattices

We explore the helicity-independent light-induced nucleation of skyrmion lattices in ferromagnetic cobalt-based trilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Using Atomistic Spin Dynamics simulations, we show that a high temperature excitation followed by magnon drops and their non-equilibrium relaxation, accessed by an ultrafast laser excitation with specific duration and intensity, can lead to the generation of a skyrmion lattice stable at room temperature. The nucleation window, the topological density and the skyrmion polarity can be additionally manipulated by external magnetic fields. Our results provide insight into the non-equilibrium nature of skyrmionic excitations at non-zero temperatures and pave additional routes for their use in information technologies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

The origin of exchange bias in multigranular non-collinear IrMn$_3$/CoFe thin films

Antiferromagnetic spintronic devices have the potential to outperform conventional ferromagnetic devices due to their ultrafast dynamics and high data density. A challenge in designing these devices is the control and detection of the orientation of the anti-ferromagnet. One of the most promising ways to achieve this is through the exchange bias effect. This is of particular importance in large scale multigranular devices. Due to the large system sizes, previously, only micromagnetic simulations have been possible, these have an assumed distribution of antiferromagnetic anisotropy directions. Here, we use an atomistic model where the distribution of antiferromagnetic anisotropy directions occurs naturally and the exchange bias occurs due to the intrinsic disorder in the antiferromagnet. We perform large scale simulations, generating realistic values of exchange bias. We find a strong temperature dependance of the exchange bias, which approaches zero at the blocking temperature while the coercivity has a peak at the blocking temeprature due to the superparamagnetic flipping of the antiferromagnet during the hysteresis loop. We find a large discrepancy between the exchange bias predicted from a geometric model of the antiferromagnetic interface indicating the importance of grain edge effects in multigranular exchange biased systems. The grain size dependence shows the expected peak due to a competition between the superparamagnetic nature of small grains and reduction in the statistical imbalance in the number of interfacial spins for larger grain sizes. Our simulations confirm the existence of single antiferromagnetic domains within each grain. The model gives insights into the physical origin of exchange bias and provides a route to developing optimised nanoscale antiferromagnetic spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Spin wave excitations in exchange biased IrMn/CoFe bilayers

Using an atomistic spin model, we have simulated spin wave injection and propagation into antiferromagnetic IrMn from an exchange coupled CoFe layer. The spectral characteristics of the exited spin waves have a complex beating behavior arising from the non-collinear nature of the antiferromagnetic order. We find that the frequency response of the system depends strongly on the strength and frequency of oscillating field excitations. We also find that the strength of excited spin waves strongly decays away from the interfacial layer with a frequency dependent attenuation. Our findings suggest that spin waves generated by coupled ferromagnets are too weak to reverse IrMn in their entirety even with resonant excitation of a coupled ferromagnet. However, efficient spin wave injection into the antiferromagnet is possible due to the non-collinear nature of the IrMn spin ordering.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Role of Element-Specific Damping on the Ultrafast, Helicity-Independent All-Optical Switching Dynamics in Amorphous (Gd,Tb)Co Thin Films

Ultrafast control of the magnetization in ps timescales by fs laser pulses offers an attractive avenue for applications such as fast magnetic devices for logic and memory. However, ultrafast helicity-independent all-optical switching (HI-AOS) of the magnetization has thus far only been observed in Gd-based, ferrimagnetic amorphous (\textit{a}-) rare earth-transition metal (\textit{a}-RE-TM) systems, and a comprehensive understanding of the reversal mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report HI-AOS in ferrimagnetic \textit{a}-Gd$_{22-x}$Tb$_x$Co$_{78}$ thin films, from x = 0 to x = 18, and elucidate the role of Gd in HI-AOS in \textit{a}-RE-TM alloys and multilayers. Increasing Tb content results in increasing perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and coercivity, without modifying magnetization density, and slower remagnetization rates and higher critical fluences for switching but still shows picosecond HI-AOS. Simulations of the atomistic spin dynamics based on the two-temperature model reproduce these results qualitatively and predict that the lower damping on the RE sublattice arising from the small spin-orbit coupling of Gd (with $L = 0$) is instrumental for the faster dynamics and lower critical fluences of the Gd-rich alloys. Annealing \textit{a}-Gd$_{10}$Tb$_{12}$Co$_{78}$ leads to slower dynamics which we argue is due to an increase in damping. These simulations strongly indicate that acounting for element-specific damping is crucial in understanding HI-AOS phenomena. The results suggest that engineering the element specific damping of materials can open up new classes of materials that exhibit low-energy, ultrafast HI-AOS.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Magnetisation dynamics of granular HAMR media by means of a multiscale model

Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology represents the most promising candidate to replace the current perpendicular recording paradigm to achieve higher storage densities. To better understand HAMR dynamics in granular media we need to describe accurately the magnetisation dynamics up to temperatures close to the Curie point. To this end we propose a multiscale approach based on the micromagnetic Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch (LLB) equation of motion parametrised using atomistic calculations. The LLB formalism describes the magnetisation dynamics at finite temperature and allows to efficiently simulate large system sizes and long time scales. Atomistic simulations provide the required temperature dependent input quantities for the LLB equation, such as the equilibrium magnetisation and the anisotropy, and can be used to capture the detailed magnetisation dynamics. The multiscale approach makes possible to overcome the computational limitations of atomistic models in dealing with large systems, such as a recording track, while incorporating the basic physics of the HAMR process. We investigate the magnetisation dynamics of a single FePt grain as function of the properties of the temperature profile and applied field and test the micromagnetic results against atomistic calculations. Our results prove the appropriateness and potential of the approach proposed here where the granular model is able to reproduce the atomistic simulations and capture the main properties of a HAMR medium.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Atomistic investigation of the temperature and size dependence of the energy barrier of CoFeB/MgO nanodots

The balance between low power consumption and high efficiency in memory devices is a major limiting factor in the development of new technologies. Magnetic random access memories (MRAM) based on CoFeB/MgO magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) have been proposed as candidates to replace the current technology due to their non-volatility, high thermal stability and efficient operational performance. Understanding the size and temperature dependence of the energy barrier and the nature of the transition mechanism across the barrier between stable configurations is a key issue in the development of MRAM. Here we use an atomistic spin model to study the energy barrier to reversal in CoFeB/MgO nanodots to determine the effects of size, temperature and external field. We find that for practical device sizes in the 10-50 nm range the energy barrier has a complex behaviour characteristic of a transition from a coherent to domain wall driven reversal process. Such a transition region is not accessible to simple analytical estimates of the energy barrier preventing a unique theoretical calculation of the thermal stability. The atomistic simulations of the energy barrier give good agreement with experimental measurements for similar systems which are at the state of the art and can provide guidance to experiments identifying suitable materials and MTJ stacks with the desired thermal stability.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Magnetic stray fields in nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions

The magnetic stray field is an unavoidable consequence of ferromagnetic devices and sensors leading to a natural asymmetry in magnetic properties. Such asymmetry is particularly undesirable for magnetic random access memory applications where the free layer can exhibit bias. Using atomistic dipole-dipole calculations we numerically simulate the stray magnetic field emanating from the magnetic layers of a magnetic memory device with different geometries. We find that edge effects dominate the overall stray magnetic field in patterned devices and that a conventional synthetic antiferromagnet structure is only partially able to compensate the field at the free layer position. A granular reference layer is seen to provide near-field flux closure while additional patterning defects add significant complexity to the stray field in nanoscale devices. Finally we find that the stray field from a nanoscale antiferromagnet is surprisingly non-zero arising from the imperfect cancellation of magnetic sublattices due to edge defects. Our findings provide an outline of the role of different layer structures and defects in the effective stray magnetic field in nanoscale magnetic random access memory devices and atomistic calculations provide a useful tools to study the stray field effects arising from a wide range of defects.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Effective macrospin model for $Co_{x}Fe_{3-x}O_{4}$ nanoparticles: decreasing the anisotropy by Co-doping?

$Co$-doping of $Fe_{3}O_{4}$ magnetic nanoparticles is an effective way to tailor their magnetic properties. When considering the two extreme cases of the $Co_{x}Fe_{3-x}O_{4}$ series, i.e. the $x=0$ and $x=1$ values, one finds that the system evolves from a negative cubic-anisotropy energy constant, $K_{C}^{-}<0$, to a positive one, $K_{C}^{+}>0$. Thus, what happens for intermediate $x$-compositions? In this work we present a very simple phenomenological model for the anisotropy, under the \textit{macrospin} approximation, in which the resultant anisotropy is just directly proportional to the amount of $Co$. First, we perform a detailed analysis on a rather ideal system in which the extreme values have the same magnitude (i.e. $|K_{C}^{-}|=|K_{C}^{+}|$) and then we focus on the real $Co_{x}Fe_{3-x}O_{4}$ system, for which $|K_{C}^{+}|\sim 18|K_{C}^{-}|$. Remarkably, the approach reproduces rather well the experimental values of the heating performance of $Co_{x}Fe_{3-x}O_{4}$ nanoparticles, suggesting that our simple approach may in fact be a good representation of the real situation. This gives rise to an intriguing related possibility arises: a $Co$-doping composition should exist for which the effective anisotropy tends to zero, estimated here as 0.05.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Micromagnetic Modelling of the Heat Assisted Switching Process in high Anisotropy FePt Granular Thin Films

The dynamic process of assisted magnetic switchins has been simulated to investigate the associated physics. The model uses a Voronoi construction to determine the physical structure of the nano granular thin film recording media; and the Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch (LLB) equation is solved to evolve the magnetic system in time. The reduction of the magnetization is determined over a range of peak system temperatures and for a number of anisotropy values. The results show that the HAMR process is not simply magnetization reversal over a thermally reduced energy barrier. To achieve full magnetization reversal (for all anisotropies investigated) an applied field strength of at least 6kOe is required and the peak system temperature must reach at least the Curie point (Tc). When heated to Tc the magnetization associated with each grain is destroyed, which invokes the non-precessional linear reversal mode. Reversing the magnetization through this linear reversal mode is favourable, as the reversal time is two orders of magnitude smaller than that associated with precession. Under these conditions, as the temperature decreases to ambient, the magnetization recovers in the direction of the applied field, completing the reversal process. Also the model produces results which are consistent with the concept of thermal writability; when heating the media to Tc, the smaller grains require a larger field strength to reverse the magnetization.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Enhancement of intrinsic magnetic damping in defect-free epitaxial Fe3O4 thin films

We have investigated the magnetic damping of precessional spin dynamics in defect-controlled epitaxial grown Fe$_3$O$_4$(111)/Yttria-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) nanoscale films by all-optical pump-probe measurements. The intrinsic damping constant of the defect-free Fe$_3$O$_4$ film is found to be strikingly larger than that of the as-grown Fe$_3$O$_4$ film with structural defects. We demonstrate that the population of the first-order perpendicular standing spin wave (PSSW) mode, which is exclusively observed in the defect-free film under sufficiently high external magnetic fields, leads to the enhancement of the magnetic damping of the uniform precession (Kittel) mode. We propose a physical picture in which the PSSW mode acts as an additional channel for the extra energy dissipation of the Kittel mode. The energy transfer from Kittel mode to PSSW mode increases as in-plane magnetization precession becomes more uniform, resulting in the unique intrinsic magnetic damping enhancement in the defect-free Fe$_3$O$_4$ film.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

Roles of heating and helicity in ultrafast all-optical magnetization switching in TbFeCo

Using time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (TR-MOKE) method, helicity-dependent all-optical magnetization switching (HD-AOS) is observed in ferrimagnetic TbFeCo films. The thermal effect and opto-magneto effects are separately justified after single circularly polarized laser pulse. The integral evolution of this ultrafast switching is characterized on different time scales and the defined magnetization reversal time of 460 fs is the fastest ever observed. Combining the heat effect and inverse Faraday effect (IFE), micromagnetic simulations based on a single macro-spin model are performed that reproduce HD-AOS following a linear reversal mechanism.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗