Ferromagnetic Resonance Force Microscopy Research Articles

Nanoscale imaging of Gilbert damping using signal amplitude mapping

Ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy (FMRFM) is a powerful scanned probe technique that uses sub-micrometer-scale, spatially localized standing spin wave modes (LMs) to perform local ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements. Here, we show the spatially resolved imaging of Gilbert damping in a ferromagnetic material (FM) using FMRFM. Typically damping is measured from the FMR linewidth. We demonstrate an approach to image the spatial variation of Gilbert damping utilizing the LM resonance peak height to measure the LM resonance cone angle. This approach enables determination of damping through field-swept FMRFM at a single excitation frequency. The extreme force sensitivity of ∼2 fN at room temperature can resolve changes of Gilbert damping as small as ∼2×10−4 at 2 GHz, corresponding to ∼0.16 Oe in FMR linewidth resolution. This high sensitivity, high spatial resolution, and single frequency imaging of Gilbert damping creates the opportunity to study spin interactions at the interface between an insulating FM and a small volume of nonmagnetic material such as atomically thin two-dimensional materials.

Local measurement of interfacial interactions using ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy

Local measurement of interfacial interactions using ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy

An apparatus and methodology for high-power SQUID-detected ferromagnetic resonance measurements

Historically, ferromagnetic resonance has been dominated by inductive techniques, for the best part of the last 80 years. It has been only in the last 20 years that non-inductive techniques, such as Ferromagnetic Resonance Force Microscopy (FMRFM) and Magneto-optical Kerr Effect (MOKE), have been used to study, for example, the spatial distribution of resonance modes. Neither of these techniques is absolute - i.e. provides information on the amplitude of excitation as a function of absorbed microwave power. Here we extend on the recent demonstration of SQUID-detected FMR [J. M. O’Reilly and P. Stamenov, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 89, 044701 (2018)], of absolute scalar resonance measurements in single-crystalline and poly-crystalline YIG, at various fields and temperatures, by introducing a new set-up, where the microwave power, instead of being sunk in a matched load at the cryogenic end of the measurement probe is brought back to the ambient environment and is both metered and sunk in high dissipation power (>50 W @ 50 Ω) matching load. The here suggested methodology allows for the absolute excitation amplitude of modes excited during high-power operation of critical microwave devices, such as filters and Y-junction stripline circulators, to be predicted based on direct measurements of the same material in a known geometry.

Ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy of individual domain wall

We report on ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy (FMRFM) based investigations of the ferromagnetic resonance of a single domain wall (DW) in a V-shaped planar permalloy nanowire (NW) which is bent by 60°. A pronounced resonance associated with the DW is observed at 1.6 GHz. FMRFM imaging at the resonance frequency confirms the localization of the resonant mode in the DW area. The measured spectra and spatial distribution of the resonant signal are in good agreement with the results of micromagnetic modeling.

Spin wave localization in tangentially magnetized films.

We present an analytical description of localized spin wave modes that form in a parabolic field minimum in a thin ferromagnetic film. Mode profiles proportional to Hermite functions are eigenfuctions of the applied field and exchange parts of the equations of motion, and also provide a basis for numerical approximation of magnetostatic interactions. We find that the spin wave modes are roughly equally spaced in frequency and have roughly equal coupling to a uniform driving field. The calculated mode frequencies and corresponding profiles of localized spin wave modes are in good agreement with micromagnetic modeling and previously published experimental results on multiple resonances from a series of localized modes detected by ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy.

Imaging interfaces defined by abruptly varying internal magnetic fields by means of scanned nanoscale spin wave modes

Nanoscale devices fabricated out of magnetic heterostructures are central to the emerging field of spintronics, so understanding of magnetization dynamics at interfaces between dissimilar materials is essential. Here we report local imaging of magnetization dynamics at the interface formed by a sharp discontinuity in the magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic thin film using localized mode ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy (FMRFM). The behavior of the localized modes near the interface evolves with increasing magnitude of the FMRFM probe field due to its competition with the steplike internal demagnetizing field. We use micromagnetic modeling to visualize the evolution of the localized mode as the magnetic probe is scanned across the interface. Our results demonstrate the ability to image sharp changes in internal magnetic properties in nanoscale devices and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the generation and manipulation of localized modes near the interface, thus providing a new tool for microscopic studies of spin transport across magnetic interfaces and spin dynamics in their vicinity.

Nonlinear ferromagnetic resonance shift in submicron Permalloy ellipses

We report a systematic study of nonlinearity in the ferromagnetic resonance of a series of submicron Permalloy ellipses with varying aspect ratios. At high excitation powers, the resonances are found to shift to higher or lower applied field. We focus here on the sign of the shift and its dependence on the applied field and shape-induced anisotropy of the ellipses. Using ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy, we find that the measured nonlinear coefficient changes sign as a function of anisotropy field and applied field in qualitative agreement with a macrospin analysis. This macrospin analysis also points to origins of the nonlinearity in a combination of hard-axis in-plane anisotropy and precession ellipticity. In comparison of the macrospin predictions with both experimental and micromagnetic modeling results, we measure/model values of the nonlinear coefficient that are more positive than predicted by the macrospin model. The results are useful in understanding nonlinear physics in nanomagnets and applications of spin-torque oscillators.

Parametric pumping of precession modes in ferromagnetic nanodisks

We report on the parametric excitation of magnetic precession modes in nanodisks using a parallel pumping configuration. The excitations are detected using a ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy method, and the parallel-pumped spectra reveal nonlinear characteristics including instability thresholds and multiple, narrow, sawtooth-shaped resonances. These characteristics are in accord with analytical theory and micromagnetic modeling results. Modeled mode profiles of the excitations show that higher-order standing spin-wave modes with both even and odd symmetries are excited under parallel pumping.

Improving the morphological and magnetic properties of permalloy films by adopting ultra-low-pressure sputtering

A series of permalloy (NiFe) thin films of fixed thickness were grown by DC-sputtering at different argon pressures and without buffer layers. When the pressure was lowered from 1.2Pa to 0.004Pa, the coercivity decreased remarkably form 1353.5A/m to 119.4A/m. In addition, the NiFe film fabricated at ultra-low-pressure showed low damping, and its zero-field linewidth approached zero. Based on ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations, we attribute the excellent magnetic properties of NiFe film fabricated under ultra-low pressure to its improved morphological and magnetic uniformity.

Spectroscopy and Imaging of Edge Modes in Permalloy Nanodisks

We report ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy of confined spin-wave modes with improved, 100 nm resolution. The ferromagnetic resonance spectra in Permalloy disks (diameters ranging from 100 to 750 nm) distinguish multiple edge modes, and the images reveal distinct precession patterns. The fundamental edge mode also provides a new, localized probe of the magnetic properties of the film edge; rotation of the applied field reveals large edge property variations in nominally circular disks. As a function of disk diameter, the number of observed edge modes agrees with modeling.

Room Temperature Current Suppression on Magnetic Tunnel Junction Based Molecular Spintronics Devices

ABSTRACTMolecular conduction channels between two ferromagnetic electrodes can produce strong exchange coupling and dramatic effect on the spin transport, thus enabling the realization of novel logic and memory devices. To realize such device, we produced Multilayer Edge Molecular Spintronics Devices (MEMSDs) by bridging the organometallic molecular clusters (OMCs) across a ∼2 nm thick insulator of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), along its exposed side edges. These MEMSDs exhibited unprecedented increase in exchange coupling between ferromagnetic films and dramatic changes in the spin transport. This paper focuses on the dramatic current suppression phenomenon exhibited by MEMSDs at room temperature. In the event of current suppression, the effective MEMESDs’ current reduced by as much as six orders in magnitude as compared to the leakage current level of a MTJ test bed. Current suppression phenomenon was found to be associated with the equally dramatic changes in the MTJ test beds due to OMCs. Role of OMC in changing MTJ test bed properties was determined by the three different types of magnetic characterizations: SQUID Magnetometer, Ferromagnetic Resonance, and Magnetic Force Microscopy. Observation of current suppression by independent research groups and supporting studies on similar systems will be crucially important to unequivocally establish the utility of MEMSD approach.

Molecule Induced Strong Coupling between Ferromagnetic Electrodes of a Molecular Spintronics Device

Utilizing molecules for tailoring the exchange coupling strength between ferromagnetic electrodes can produce novel metamaterials and molecular spintronics devices (MSD). A practical way to produce such MSD is to connect the molecular channels to the electrodes of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). This paper discusses the dramatic changes in the properties of MTJ testbed of a MSD due to molecular device elements with a net spin state. When organometallic molecular complexes (OMCs) were bridged across the insulator along the exposed side edges, a MTJ testbed exhibited entirely different magnetic response in magnetization, ferromagnetic resonance and magnetic force microscopy studies. OMCs only affected the ferromagnetic material when it was serving as the electrode of a tunnel junction. Molecule produced the strongest effect on the MTJ with electrodes of dissimilar magnetic hardness. This study encourages the validation of this work and exploration of similar observations with the other combinations MTJs and molecules, like single molecular magnet, porphyrin, and molecular clusters.

Spectroscopic defect imaging in magnetic nanostructure arrays

We introduce a method for imaging defective structures in an array of magnetic nanodevices using ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy with contrast between normal and defective devices provided through differences in resonance condition. In a demonstration of this technique, two dimensional scans of an array resolve not only intentional differences in resonant field between 200 nm circular dots and an intentional oval “defect,” but also smaller differences between the nominally identical circular dots in the array.

Superferromagnetism and coercivity in Co-Al2O3 granular films with perpendicular anisotropy

Magnetic properties of nano-granular Co0.55–(Al2O3)0.45 films have been studied by vibrating sample magnetometry, ferromagnetic resonance, and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The films possess a growth-induced perpendicular anisotropy related to the shape anisotropy of the granules. Being unpercolated physically, the films demonstrated a clear magnetic percolation behavior in the temperature dependence of the coercivity and MFM scans. The temperature dependence of the coercivity measured along the easy magnetization axis of the granules indicates the presence of a collective long-range magnetic state sustained by a ferromagnetic interparticle interaction. This interaction is supposed to form a homogeneously magnetized superferromagnetic state, however, the perpendicular anisotropy and the competition between the dipole-dipole and ferromagnetic interactions lead to the emergence of an inhomogeneous labyrinth-like magnetic stripe-domain structure with the averaged domain width being about two orders of magnitude larger than the averaged granule size. The temperature evolution of the spontaneous magnetization inside the stripe domains has been measured by the MFM up to the temperature of superferromagnetic ordering (420 K). The formerly developed mean-field-based model of the coercivity of an interacted ensemble has been tested and found to yield adequate quantitative predictions.

Local magnetic characterization of (Ga,Mn)As continuous thin film using scanning probe force microscopy

We report spatially resolved measurements of the saturation magnetization, anisotropy field, and $g$ factor of a (Ga,Mn)As thin film using two different scanning probe techniques: ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy and probe-induced magnetic force microscopy. We find that the magnetic properties of the film are uniform within our 1-$\ensuremath{\mu}$m lateral resolution. We further demonstrate that these two powerful and complementary magnetic characterization approaches, the former dynamic and the latter static, obtain measurements of magnetic properties that are in excellent agreement with one another, enabling enhanced quantitative reliability.

Nanoscale Spin Wave Localization Using Ferromagnetic Resonance Force Microscopy

We use the dipolar fields from a magnetic cantilever tip to generate localized spin wave precession modes in an in-plane magnetized, thin ferromagnetic film. Multiple resonances from a series of localized modes are detected by ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy and reproduced by micromagnetic models that also reveal highly anisotropic mode profiles. Modeled scans of line defects using the lowest-frequency mode provide resolution predictions of (94.5±1.5) nm in the field direction, and (390±2) nm perpendicular to the field.

Ferromagnetic resonance and magnetic force microscopy evidence for above room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn doped Si made by a solid state sintering process

Silicon doped with manganese made by a solid state sintering process starting with nanoparticles of Si and MnO is shown to be ferromagnetic above room temperature. The evidence for ferromagnetism is obtained from ferromagnetic resonance and magnetic force microscopy measurements. The magnetic force microscopy measurements show that the ferromagnetic resonance occurs in nanosized regions in the sample as has been suggested by Dietl. Raman and electric force microscopy measurements also suggest that then material is doped inhomogenously.

Co/Pd]–NiFe exchange springs with tunable magnetization tilt angle

We investigate exchange coupled [Co/Pd]5–NiFe thin films. Due to competition between the in-plane shape anisotropy of the NiFe and strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the [Co/Pd]5 multilayer, unique magnetic configurations are achievable. In particular, we explore the out-of-plane magnetization tilt angle of the NiFe layer. Experimental results, based on conventional magnetometry, ferromagnetic resonance, and magnetic force microscopy, agree well with one-dimensional micromagnetic simulations. We find that the tilt angle is highly tunable (0°–60°) over a small range of NiFe thicknesses (4.8–8 nm). Potential applications for high power, zero-field operation spin torque oscillators are discussed.

Nanoscale scanning probe ferromagnetic resonance imaging using localized modes

The discovery of new phenomena in layered and nanostructured magnetic devices is driving rapid growth in nanomagnetics research. Resulting applications such as giant magnetoresistive field sensors and spin torque devices are fuelling advances in information and communications technology, magnetoelectronic sensing and biomedicine. There is an urgent need for high-resolution magnetic-imaging tools capable of characterizing these complex, often buried, nanoscale structures. Conventional ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) provides quantitative information about ferromagnetic materials and interacting multicomponent magnetic structures with spectroscopic precision and can distinguish components of complex bulk samples through their distinctive spectroscopic features. However, it lacks the sensitivity to probe nanoscale volumes and has no imaging capabilities. Here we demonstrate FMR imaging through spin-wave localization. Although the strong interactions in a ferromagnet favour the excitation of extended collective modes, we show that the intense, spatially confined magnetic field of the micromagnetic probe tip used in FMR force microscopy can be used to localize the FMR mode immediately beneath the probe. We demonstrate FMR modes localized within volumes having 200 nm lateral dimensions, and improvements of the approach may allow these dimensions to be decreased to tens of nanometres. Our study shows that this approach is capable of providing the microscopic detail required for the characterization of ferromagnets used in fields ranging from spintronics to biomagnetism. This method is applicable to buried and surface magnets, and, being a resonance technique, measures local internal fields and other magnetic properties with spectroscopic precision.

Localized ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy in Permalloy-cobalt films

We report ferromagnetic resonance force microscopy (FMRFM) experiments on a juxtaposed continuous films of Permalloy and cobalt. Our studies demonstrate the capability of FMRFM to perform local spectroscopy of different ferromagnetic materials. Theoretical analysis of the uniform resonance mode near the edge of the film agrees quantitatively with experimental data. Our experiments demonstrate the micron scale lateral resolution in determining local magnetic properties in continuous ferromagnetic samples.