Antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic phase domain development in nanopatterned FeRh islands

Temple, R.C. et al. (2018) Antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic phase domain development in nanopatterned FeRh islands. Physical Review Materials, 2(10), 104406. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.2.104406)

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Abstract

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- μ m -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- μ m islands, which are smaller than the typical final domain size, the growth mode is stunted and the transition temperature is found to be reduced by 20 K. The modification to the transition temperature is found by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy to be due to a 100-nm chemically disordered edge grain present as a result of ion implantation damage during the patterning. FeRh has unique possibilities for magnetic memory applications; the inevitable changes to its magnetic properties due to subtractive nanofabrication will need to be addressed in future work in order to progress from sheet films to suitable patterned devices.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This work was financially supported by the EPSRC under Grant Nos. EP/M018504/1 and EP/M019020/1.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:McGrouther, Dr Damien and McVitie, Professor Stephen and Lamb, Mr Raymond and Fallon, Dr Kayla and Almeida, Dr Trevor
Authors: Temple, R.C., Almeida, T.P., Massey, J.R., Fallon, K., Lamb, R., Morley, S.A., Maccherozzi, F., Dhesi, S.S., McGrouther, D., McVitie, S., Moore, T.A., and Marrows, C.H.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Journal Name:Physical Review Materials
Publisher:American Physical Society
ISSN:2475-9953
ISSN (Online):2475-9953
Published Online:17 October 2018
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2018 American Physical Society
First Published:First published in Physical Review Materials 2(10): 104406
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
680211Current-driven domain wall motion and magnetomemristance in FeRh-based nanostructuresStephen McVitieEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)EP/M019020/1S&E P&A - PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY