Anisotropy Field Research Articles

Crystal growth and pressure effect on the transport properties in 122-type (La,Na,K)Fe2As2 superconductors

Abstract High-quality single crystals are essential for probing the intrinsic properties of unconventional superconductors. In this work, we report the successful growth of (La,Na,K)Fe2As2 single crystals, a novel 122-type iron-based superconductor, using the self-flux method. The crystal structure and chemical composition were characterized through x-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The (La,Na,K)Fe2As2 single crystals exhibit bulk superconductivity, with a critical transition temperature Tc of approximately 22 K. Magnetization measurements reveal a second peak effect and a critical current density Jc ~ 5×105 A/cm2 at 2 K in a self-field. The upper critical field anisotropy was systematically studied within the framework of the anisotropic Ginzburg–Landau theory, yielding an anisotropy value of approximately 2.6. Furthermore, we employ the diamond anvil cell technique to investigate the pressure effect on (La,Na,K)Fe2As2. Our results demonstrate that superconductivity is gradually suppressed with increasing pressure, while the normal state resistivity at low temperatures evolves from non-Fermi liquid to Fermi liquid behavior. This observation suggests that (La,Na,K)Fe2As2 may be situated on the right of the quantum critical point or, at the very least, within the over-doped region. These findings provide a critical sample platform and experimental insights for advancing the understanding of the physical properties of the newly discovered (La,Na,K)Fe2As2 superconductors.

Effect of anisotropy field on the resonance frequency and reflection loss shift characteristics of barium hexaferrite ceramics

Abstract For this study, a modified barium hexaferrite based microwave and radar absorbing material was used. Synthesis and characterization of BaFe(12-2x)(MnTi)xO19 (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) have been prepared by solid state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that all samples only crystallized into M-type barium hexaferrite after calcination at 1200 °C. Surface morphology images show that the hexagonal flake-like particle is formed at the initial stages of the Mn-Ti substitution level. The magnetic properties measurement reveals that the variation of magnetization values may vary based on preferable site occupation of Mn4+-Ti2+ cations to replace Fe3+ cations. The significant decrease in field coercivity (Hc) from 3.18 kOe to 0.51 kOe with the increase of Mn-Ti substitution affected the lowering values of field anisotropy (Ha). The maximum reflection loss (RL) positions of BaFe(12-2x)(MnTi)xO19 compositional series are shifted to lower frequency range following the Ha trendlines. The maximum RL value equals to 98.42% microwave absorption at 10.5 GHz has been obtained in x = 1.0 (BaFe10Mn0.5Ti0.5O19) composition.

Stability of Noncentrosymmetric Square Skyrmion Crystals with Easy-Axis and Easy-Plane Magnetic Anisotropy

We investigate the stability tendency of a magnetic skyrmion crystal in noncentrosymmetric tetragonal systems with the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction. We show that the stability region of the square skyrmion crystal on a square lattice depends on the Ising-type magnetic anisotropic interaction by performing the simulated annealing for the spin model. The easy-axis anisotropic interaction tends to narrow the region where the square skyrmion crystal is stabilized when the magnetic field is applied in the out-of-plane direction. In contrast, the easy-plane anisotropic interaction tends to enlarge the stability region. Meanwhile, the square skyrmion crystal induced by the easy-axis anisotropic interaction is robust compared with that induced by the easy-plane anisotropic interaction when the magnetic field is tilted from the out-of-plane to the in-plane direction. The results indicate that the instability toward the square skyrmion crystal in noncentrosymmetric crystals is sensitive to both magnetic anisotropy and magnetic fields.

Pr-modified microstructure enhances coercivity in Sm2Co17-type magnets

Optimizing components of the cellular structure is a strategy to enhance the magnetic performance of Sm2Co17-type magnets. In this study, Pr is used to modify the cellular structure in Sm2Co17-type magnets, achieving synergistic optimization of coercivity from 32.12 kOe to 34.71 kOe and remanence from 11.23 kGs to 11.36 kGs. Analyses reveal that the increased remanence is attributed to the enhanced saturation magnetization and better grain alignment in the Pr-5 magnet. The incomplete cellular structures and Cu-lean region near grain boundaries are ameliorated in the Pr-5 magnets. Meanwhile, the Pr-modified and Cu-enriched cellular boundary phase, which has a lower magnetocrystalline anisotropy field, enhances the pinning strength of the domain-wall and contributes to the increase in coercivity. The substitution of Pr for Sm has a lower substitution energy in SmCo5 than in Sm2Co17, leading to the slight enrichment of Pr in the 1:5H phase. However, excessive Pr leads to increased amounts of oxides and deteriorates magnetic properties. This work provides valuable insights into developing high-performance Sm2Co17-type magnets by optimizing the microstructure and microchemical components.

Microstructural, magnetic, and optical properties of nickel-doped spinel zinc ferrite nanoparticles

This study focuses on the synthesis of nickel-substituted zinc ferrite nanoparticles, , via the sol-gel method and examines how nickel substitution influences their structural, magnetic, and optical properties. The lattice constant of the nanoparticles, which varied from 8.4296 Å to 8.4212 Å, decreased as the nickel concentration increased. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine the morphology, revealing grain sizes between 46 and 53 nm, while energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the elemental composition, showing nearly spherical nanoparticles containing all the constituent elements. The magnetic properties were analyzed using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), which highlighted significant differences between the theoretical and experimental magnetic moments, indicating the presence of Yafet-Kittel magnetic ordering in the system. The saturation magnetization was enhanced by ions, reaching a maximum value of 23.864 emu/g. This enhancement makes the nickel-substituted zinc ferrite nanoparticles suitable for applications in data recording media and magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, the values of the magnetic crystalline anisotropy constant, initial permeability, effective anisotropy constant, and anisotropic field of the synthesized samples were estimated.The optical properties of the synthesized samples were evaluated using UV-visible spectroscopy, and the band gap was determined through diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The optical bandgap of pure zinc ferrite was measured to be 2.26 eV, and it decreased with increasing nickel concentration in the nanoparticles.

Giant Uniaxial Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy in SmCrGe3.

Magnetic anisotropy is a crucial characteristic for enhancing the spintronic device performance. The synthesis of SmCrGe3 single crystals through a high-temperature solution method has led to the determination of uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Phase verification was achieved by using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), powder, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Electrical transport and specific heat measurements indicate a Curie temperature (TC) of approximately 160 K, while magnetization measurements were utilized to determine the anisotropy fields and constants. Curie-Weiss fitting applied to magnetization data suggests the contribution of both Sm and Cr in the paramagnetic phase. Additionally, density functional theory (DFT) calculations explored the electronic structures and magnetic properties of SmCrGe3, revealing a significant easy-axis single-ion Sm magnetocrystalline anisotropy of 16 meV/fu. Based on the magnetization measurements, easy-axis magnetocrystalline anisotropy at 20 K is 13 meV/fu.

Nanostructured Coatings of 3d-Metals Produced by Green Chemistry Methods: Analysis of Inhomogeneities by Static and Dynamic Magnetic Methods

The study investigates carbon-containing coatings of 3d-metals (Ni, Co, Fe) produced by chemical deposition method using arabinogalactan. The coatings were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, FMR, and M(H) magnetometry. Measurement of M(H) in plane and perpendicular to the plane of the magnetic coatings allowed determining the distribution of demagnetizing factor in the studied coatings. The obtained distributions of the demagnetizing factor were used to analyze the angular dependences of the ferromagnetic resonance field. The values of magnetization and perpendicular anisotropy field were estimated. The paper illustrates the effect of texture on the magnetic parameters.

Visualizing Ultrafast Photogenerated Electron and Hole Separation in Facet-Engineered Bismuth Vanadate Crystals.

Photogenerated charge separation is pivotal for effecting efficient photocatalytic reactions. Understanding this process with spatiotemporal resolution is vital for devising highly efficient photocatalysts. Here, we employed pump-probe transient reflection microscopy to directly observe the temporal and spatial evolution of photogenerated electrons and holes on the surface of facet-engineered bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) crystals. The findings suggest that the anisotropic built-in field of BiVO4 crystals propels the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes toward different facets through a two-step process across varying time scales. Photogenerated electrons and holes undergo ultrafast separation within ∼6 ps, with electrons transforming into localized small polarons toward the {010} facets of truncated BiVO4 octahedral crystals. However, the photogenerated holes prolong their separation up to ∼2000 ps in a drift-diffusion manner before ultimately accumulating on the {120} facets. This work provides a comprehensive visualization of spatiotemporal charge separation at the nano/microscale on semiconductor photocatalysts, which is beneficial for understanding the photocatalysis mechanism.

Tunning Pr to achieve ultra-high magnetic properties of anisotropic nanocrystalline (Sm,Pr)Co5 magnets

In this study, we reported on the bulk anisotropic nanocrystalline Sm1-xPrxCo5 (x = 0.2–0.6) magnets aimed at achieving excellent energy products. Through a combination of advanced processing techniques, including melt spinning, hot pressing, and hot deformation process, bulk magnets with a fine nanocrystalline structure were successfully synthesized. The results revealed that the substitution of Pr strengthened the c-axis texture and the saturation magnetization, facilitating the enhancement of remanence (Mr) and maximum magnetic energy product [(BH)max]. However, Pr substitution decreased the coercivity (Hci) due to the reduced magnetocrystalline anisotropy field. Excellent magnetic properties are obtained for Sm0.4Pr0.6Co5 magnets with the (BH)max of 23.2 MGOe and Hci of 11.8 kOe. The prepared (Sm,Pr)Co5 magnets with different Pr contents have essentially the same microstructure with RECo5 main phase grains of about 400 nm in diameter and fine dispersed rare earth-rich nanoprecipitates. Our findings can provide reliable reference for manufacturing nanocrystalline permanent magnet materials and promote the development of rare earth permanent magnet new materials.

Three-Dimensional MT Conductive Anisotropic and Magnetic Modeling Using A − ϕ Potentials Employing a Mixed Nodal and Edge-Based Element Method

Magnetotelluric (MT) sounding is a geophysical technique widely utilized in mineral resource surveys, where conductivity and magnetic permeability serve as essential physical parameters for forward modeling and inversion. However, the effects of conductive anisotropy and non-zero magnetic susceptibility are usually ignored. In this study, we present a three-dimensional (3D) MT modeling algorithm using Coulomb-gauged electromagnetic potentials, incorporating a mixed nodal and edge-based finite element method capable of simulating MT responses for conductive anisotropic and magnetic anomalies. Subsequently, the algorithm’s accuracy was validated in two steps: first, it was compared with analytical solutions for a 1D magnetic model; then, a comparison was made with previously published numerical results for a 3D generalized conductive anisotropic model. The results of two tests show that the maximum relative error is below 0.5% for both models. Furthermore, representative models were computed to comprehensively analyze the responses of MT. The findings illustrate the relationship between anisotropic parameters and electric fields and emphasize the significance of considering the impact of magnetic susceptibility in magnetite-rich regions.

Magnetic-field-controllable elasticity of helical spring magnets composed of magnetic-particle-polymer composites

Abstract We experimentally demonstrated the ability to control the spring constant of helical mechanical springs using a magnetic field. These springs were composed of magnetic nanoparticles embedded within an elastic polymer matrix. The composite material, in its gel form, was injected into a 3D-printed mold featuring a helical-spring-shaped cavity. An external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the coil axis of the spring allows the aligmment of the magnetic nanoparticle assemblies (chain axis) in the field direction. This alignment process determines the preferred magnetization orientation of the particle assembly chain, thereby balancing the magnetic force between the magnetic anisotropy field and the Zeeman field under a given external field. When the spring is subjected to compression or stretching loads under an externally applied magnetic field, these two magnetic fields modify the effective spring constant of the magnetic helical spring by ~ 31 %, incresing it from 8.7 N/m (under no field) to 11.5 N/m at 300 mT. Analytical modeling using a simplified rod geometry aptly explains the experimental results, demonstrating that the spring constant linearly increases with the field strength up to 300 mT. Such composite magnetic helical springs could be utilized as active vibration absorbers or isolators due to their field-controllable elasticity.

A two-step self consistent algorithm for extracting magnetic anisotropy constants from angle-dependent ferromagnetic resonance measurements

To infer anisotropy parameters of magnetic materials from experimental measurements of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) (with data comprising resonant frequencies and corresponding resonant magnetic fields), a fitting procedure to the theoretical model is essential. The governing equation for this fitting process is the Smit–Beljers equation (SB equation), which links FMR frequencies to resonant magnetic field values and anisotropy parameters nonlinearly, and through the equilibrium magnetization angle values, which also depend on the same anisotropy parameters and magnetic field values. Obtaining an analytical expression for this equation is rarely possible. In this paper, we address the challenges posed by the Smit–Beljers equation and propose a two-step self-consistent algorithm to extract the relevant parameters efficiently.

Infrequent trigonal crystal system CoNb thin films: investigation of growth behavior, microstructure and magnetic properties

Magnetic films with excellent initial permeability, high resonance frequency, suitable anisotropy fields, and well compatibility are highly desirable for on-chip inductors and transformers. Here, Co90Nb10 thin films with different thicknesses are grown on Si substrates of different orientations using an electron beam evaporation technique. A rare trigonal crystal structure of the CoNb films was observed and was virtually unaffected by substrate orientation. Films grown exhibit thickness-dependent magnetic behavior: coercivity initially decreases and then increases, while the in-plane anisotropy field progressively diminishes. Meanwhile, the initial permeability increases initially before decreasing, and the resonance frequency continuously decreases as the thickness increases. The resultant Co90Nb10/Si (111)-50 nm film displays a high μi of 496 and a great fr of 2.1GHz. The improved magnetic performance originates from the smaller crystallite size, smoother surface roughness, and suitable in-plane anisotropy field. Moreover, the in-plane anisotropy transition to the out-of-plane anisotropy in the Co90Nb10 films whose thickness exceeds 70nm, which is attributed to the growth of the coarse columnar grains once the critical thickness is exceeded. This study demonstrates the correlation between the growth behavior, microstructure, and magnetic properties of CoNb thin films, presenting a new potential for utilizing Co-based thin films in high-frequency applications.

Aperture Field Anisotropy Control on Immiscible Displacement Patterns in Rough Fractures

AbstractTwo‐phase flow displacement in rock fractures is crucial for various subsurface mass transfer processes and engineering applications. In fractures, the displacement of a less viscous fluid by a more viscous one (i.e., viscosity ratio M > 1) involves viscous forces help stabilizing the displacement front in presence of capillary pressure fluctuations. Although previous studies have reported displacement patterns in isotropic fractures, the impact of anisotropic fractures on displacement patterns has not been systematically examined. In this study, we conducted flow‐rate‐controlled drainage experiments to examine how anisotropic aperture fields affect displacement patterns. We observed the transition of displacement patterns from capillary fingering (CF) to crossover zone (CZ) to compact displacement pattern (CD) based on variations in transverse pore‐filling event (TPFE) frequency, which characterizes the competition between capillary and viscous forces. Increasing aperture correlation length in the transverse direction leads to increased TPFE frequency at a low flow rate, destabilizing displacement front. While the increasing aperture correlation length in longitudinal direction suppressed TPFE frequency, stabilizing displacement front. Therefore, the critical capillary number (CaCF‐CZ), which indicates the onset of the CF‐CZ transition, decreases as the aperture field varies from transversely to longitudinally correlated. At high flow rates, TPFEs almost disappeared, indicating that anisotropy did not affect CZ‐CD transition (CaCZ‐CD). Furthermore, we modified theoretical models of CaCF‐CZ and CaCZ‐CD by incorporating the aperture anisotropy factor, achieving a good fit with the experimental data. This study demonstrates the critical role of aperture field anisotropy in controlling two‐phase displacement patterns and provides a theoretical framework for predicting multiphase flow behavior in natural fractures.

Electromagnetic wave absorption properties of La-Ca-Co-Al substituted M-type Sr-hexaferrite-rubber sheets in 50–75 GHz range

This study reports on the electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption characteristics of M-type hexaferrite-rubber sheets, where Al was additionally substituted into high-performance permanent magnet compositions, Sr0.2La0.4Ca0.4Co0.25Fe9.75-xAlxO19-d (LCCA-SrM, x = 0, 0.2, 0.4). While non-substituted SrFe12O19 powder-rubber sheet had a ferromagnetic resonance frequency (fFMR) of 48.5 GHz, the LCCA-SrM (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4) rubber sheets showed increased fFMR values of 63.3, 66.2, and 68.5 GHz, respectively, with the increasing x values. The frequency of minimum reflection loss (fRLmin) also increased correspondingly with the change in fFMR. This significant increase in fFMR and fRLmin is attributed to the greatly enhanced magnetocrystalline anisotropy from the La-Ca-Co substitution in SrM and the incremental increase in magnetic anisotropy field (Hani) due to Al substitution. The absorption band (Δf) satisfying RL < −10 dB, was 45.0–53.4 GHz for SrM, and 52.9–75, 50–75, and 59–74.2 GHz for the x = 0, 0.2, and 0.4 samples, respectively. The x = 0.2 sheets demonstrated the widest absorption, covering 50–75 GHz. This study is highly promising as it is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of developing an EM wave absorber sheet for frequencies above 50 GHz using hexaferrite powder synthesized via the solid-state method, which offers scalability and cost-efficiency for mass production.

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and Gilbert damping of MgO/Co100–x Fe x /Pt trilayers

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and Gilbert damping of MgO/Co100–x Fe x /Pt (x = 20, 50) trilayers before and after annealing at 200–400 °C were evaluated by hysteresis loop and time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (TRMOKE) measurements. The anisotropy field of the trilayers increased with reducing the CoFe thickness, which reflects the anisotropy is originated from the interface. The annealing around 300 °C was effective to increase the anisotropy because the roughness of the MgO/CoFe interface was reduced by annealing. The effective Gilbert damping α eff also increased with reducing CoFe thickness and increasing annealing temperature. The increase of α eff was considered to be promoted by the interdiffusion between CoFe and Pt after annealing. Small α eff and large perpendicular anisotropy were confirmed to be obtained using Co50Fe50 compared to using Co80Fe20.

Modelling the Elliptical Instability of Magnetic Skyrmions

Two recently developed methods of modelling chiral magnetic soliton elliptical instability are applied in two novel scenarios: the tilted ferromagnetic phase of chiral magnets dominated by easy-plane anisotropy and the general case of the chiral magnet with tilted applied field and arbitrary uniaxial anisotropy. In the former case, the analytical predictions are found to exactly match previous numerical results. In the latter case, the instability of isolated chiral skyrmions has not yet been studied, although interestingly, the predictions correspond to previous numerical investigation into the phase diagram.

Rare earth samarium substituted barium-calcium hexaferrites: Insight into structure, dielectric and magnetic aspects

This study presents the synthesis of samarium-substituted Ba-Ca hexaferrites (Ba0.5Ca0.5Fe12-xSmxO19) utilizing the sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis is performed to evaluate the structure of fabricated materials. The lattice shows an expansion up to a doping concentration of x = 0.12, and minor contraction at x = 0.16. Both X-ray density and bulk density exhibit an upward trend with increasing doping levels, while porosity reduces and dislocation density shows an increase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms the homogeneity and uniformity of the doped samples. The dielectric properties displays the interaction of the materials with an external electric field, revealing that the dielectric constant (ε′), dielectric loss (ε″), and dissipation factor progressively increases with samarium concentration. Magnetic characterizations demonstrate a significant enhancement in saturation magnetization and coercivity, attaining peak values of 33.19 emu/g and 1.805 kOe, respectively. Moreover, the anisotropy field (Ha) and anisotropy constant (K) shows an increase with higher doping concentrations confirming the prepared material as an alternative for electric and magnetic industry applications.

Phase formation, microstructure and gyromagnetic properties of c-axis oriented M-type hexaferrite applied to self-biased circulator

Self-biased structure based on hexaferrite demonstrates potential for achieving planar miniaturization of microwave circulator. Appropriate magnetocrystalline anisotropy field Ha and high squareness ratio Mr/Ms are indispensable for hexaferrite to meet with specific operating frequency and reduce loss of circulator, respectively. Gd3+-Mg2+ co-substitution is introduced to adjust Ha of M-type hexaferrite Sr1-xGdxFe12-xMgxO19 (SrM, x= 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25) while maintaining valence equilibrium. A Mr/Ms as high as 0.88 is achieved through ceramic process combined with magnetic field orientation. The ferromagnetic resonance linewidth of 774 Oe is detected by perturbational method based on coplanar waveguide at 43 GHz. Finally, A self-biased circulator using slotted structure based on SrM is designed, showcasing effective circular transmission functionality at Ku band.

Spiral Annealing of Magnetic Microwires.

A preprocessing technique named "spiral annealing" was applied for the first time to magnetic microwires. In this process, the sample was arranged in a flat spiral shape during annealing, and subsequent measurements were conducted on the unbent sample with the induced stress distribution along and transverse to the sample. The research utilized both magnetic and magneto-optical methods. The anisotropy field magnitude in both the volume and surface of the microwire was measured, and for the first time, a direct correlation between the anisotropy field and the curvature of a spirally annealed microwire was established. Additionally, a connection between the type of surface domain structure and the degree of spiral curvature was identified. The preservation of the distribution of spiral annealing-induced magnetic properties both along and across the microwire is a key effect influencing the technological application of the microwire. The range of induced curvature within which a specific helical magnetic structure can exist was also determined. This insight links the conditions of spiral annealing to the selection of microwires as active elements in magnetic sensors.