Abstract
We demonstrate that FeRh layers can be implemented to the epitaxial Fe/Au/FeRh spin valve structures grown on MgO(001). Owing to the AFM-FM phase transition in the FeRh film, the magnetic structure of our Fe/Au/FeRh system can be temperature controlled. The indirect exchange coupling between Fe and FeRh films mediated by the Au spacer enables to control the relative orientation of the Fe and FeRh magnetizations by the Au spacer thickness between ferromagnetic and non-collinear with nearly orthogonal magnetizations. Moreover, the evolution of magnetic structure of the Fe/Au/FeRh system along with the AFM-FM transition is accompanied by the reversible in-plane rotation of the top Fe-layer magnetization.
Highlights
In our previous paper we showed that AFM-FM phase transition in FeRh system can be utilized to reversibly switch magnetization of a cobalt ultrathin film that is directly exchange coupled to the epitaxial FeRh layer
Owing to the AFM-FM phase transition in FeRh film, the magnetic structure of our Fe/Au/FeRh system can be temperature controlled between Fe/Au/FeRhFM and Fe/Au/FeRhAFM states, where FeRhFM and FeRhAFM refer to the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic state of the FeRh sublayer, respectively
To obtain the temperature dependence of the FeRh magnetization, the longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect (LMOKE) magnetic hysteresis loops were collected in a wide temperature range and the value of Kerr rotation at saturation (ROTSAT) was taken as a measure of the FeRh magnetization in a similar way as in Ref. 10
Summary
The FeRh alloy with equiatomic composition reveals a temperature induced first-order magnetic transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) state at a transition temperature close to 350-K.1–3 This unique AFM-FM transition is accompanied by a volume expansion,4,5 a decrease of resistivity,1 and a large change in entropy.6,7 Recently, low dimensional FeRh films exhibiting AFMFM transition have attracted a lot of attention, as they are promising materials for new storage media applications, such as heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR).8,9 In our previous paper we showed that AFM-FM phase transition in FeRh system can be utilized to reversibly switch magnetization of a cobalt ultrathin film that is directly exchange coupled to the epitaxial FeRh layer.10 In this report we demonstrate how the FeRh layers can be implemented to the epitaxial Fe/Au/FeRh spin valve structures grown on MgO(001). Sleęzak1 1AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, Aleja Adama Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland 2Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 30-239 Krakow, Poland (Received 5 June 2018; accepted 12 October 2018; published online 30 October 2018)
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