First-order Reversal Curve Research Articles

Structural, morphological, angular dependent of magnetic properties and FORC analysis of CoFeIn novel nanowire alloys

CoFeIn Magnetic alloy nanowire arrays with controlled composition were grown into the AAO template as novel nanowires. The influence of composition, annealing temperature, and electrodeposition frequency on the structure and magnetic properties of cylindrical nanowires have been investigated. Obtained data show that the coercivity and squareness of nanowires was improved with addition of In content. The effect of electrodeposition frequency on the magnetic properties of nanowire arrays were investigated. The results show a rapid increasing of the coercivity and squareness with increasing of the frequency up to 600 Hz but the slope of increasing was clearly reduced at higher frequencies. The angular-dependent magnetic properties of nanowires were studied using First-order reversal curve (FORC) analysis and main hysteresis of arrays, by changing the angle of the applied magnetic field from θ = 0° (parallel) to 90◦ (perpendicular to the wire).

Understanding magnetic interactions and reversal mechanisms in a spinodally decomposed cobalt ferrite using first order reversal curves

Cobalt ferrites exhibit widely varied magnetic behaviour due to the presence of a miscibility gap leading to the formation of periodic self-assembled nanostructures via spinodal decomposition. Periodicity and amplitude of the compositional fluctuations can be controlled by thermodynamic and kinetic processing parameters which allows for careful tuning of the magnetic properties. Although reports have shown evidence of spinodal decomposition, there is a lack of detailed characterization of the magnetic interactions and reversal mechanisms in these materials. In this work we use high-resolution first order reversal curves (FORC) measurements to understand the underlying magnetic processes occurring in a cobalt ferrite with a nominal composition of Co1.8Fe1.2O4 before (calcined) and after spinodal decomposition (annealed). Additionally, FORC measurements with preconditioning fields were conducted to separate the interaction signatures at low coercive fields by biasing the sample in positive and negative mean fields. Microstructural characterization using TEM combined with EDS showed uniform chemistry in the calcined sample and the presence of Fe rich and Co rich regions in the annealed sample, due to spinodal decomposition. Signs of positive exchange interactions were observed in both calcined and annealed samples. This work presents the first detailed magnetic characterization of magnetic interactions in a nanostructured cobalt ferrite, and provides an example of magnetic characterization of nanostructured ferrites using FORC.

Magnetic Characterization of Permalloy Nanodome Surfaces on Flexible PEEK/TiO2 Vertical Nanotubes Composites

Poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) composites present outstanding physical and chemical properties, including radiation tolerance and compatibility with vacuum and additive manufacturing processing. Applications of PEEK range from biomedical to aerospace. Controlled 3-D nanostructuring arises as a powerful approach to generate new phenomena suitable for technological applications. In this sense, we target to synthesize robust and shapeable magnetic nanocomposites (NCs) for sensing and electromagnetic shielding applications. For this aim, we synthesized and characterized Permalloy (Py, Ni80Fe20) nanostructured surfaces on PEEK/TiO2. These NCs were synthesized by scalable and high throughput compatible fabrication approaches: anodization (TiO2 nanotubes) and hot embossing (thermal nanoimprint). The resulting NCs are shapeable, stable below 300 °C, and vacuum compatible. Their surfaces compose TiO2 nanodomes filled by PEEK. Py layers (15 nm) were sputtered on NC and flat PEEK films. The characterization included SEM, AFM, ISO-2409 Adhesion Tests, hysteresis loops, and first-order reversal curves (FORCs). The results revealed that both types of films keep stable characteristics after bending cycles, and noticeable modifications of the magnetic global response and local interactions generated due to the 3-D nanostructure.

Enhancement of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and formation of interface in Nd-Dy-Fe-Co-B thick film with Ta spacer layer

The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of Nd-Fe-B films decreases when the film thickness increases above a critical value, owing to the formation of the in-plane texture. To avoid this dilemma, the influences of Ta spacer layers on the microstructure and magnetic properties of Nd-Dy-Fe-Co-B thick films are systematically investigated by varying the number and thickness of Ta spacer layers. With increasing the number and thickness of Ta spacer layers, a great enhancement of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is found, while the coercivity maintains around 2 T. According to the analysis of microstructural results, some interfaces are formed, with the Nd-Fe-B columnar crystal and the Nd element aggregation area being the two sides of the interface. It is found that the Ta spacer layer facilitates the formation of the out-of-plane texture. In addition, the Ta spacer layer has the effect of enhancing the pinning effect leading to a high coercivity. Based on first-order reversal curve analysis, the Ta spacer layer can enhance the dipole interaction and reduce the exchange interaction, which reveals that Nd-Fe-B grains are isolated by the Nd-rich phase. This work can help us to prepare thick Nd-Fe-B-based films with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and high coercivity for applications in micromechanical systems.

In-plane magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal in phase-separated (La0.5Pr0.5)0.625Ca0.375MnO3 thin films

The dynamics and interaction of different electronic phases near the metal-to-insulator transition of the phase-separated ${({\mathrm{La}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Pr}}_{0.5})}_{0.625}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.375}\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (LPCMO) thin film grown on NGO substrate was studied using the first-order reversal curves (FORC) diagram method for electric transport measurements. The in-plane angle-dependent remanence and coercivity field in the region of the ferromagnet metallic phase was measured using the macroscopic magnetization technique. These measurements suggest an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy for the film with a uniaxial anisotropic constant (Ku) of $\ensuremath{\sim}1.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{erg}/\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$ at 20 K. The angle dependence of the coercivity is best described by 1/cos\ensuremath{\theta} dependence indicating that the magnetization reversal occurs mainly through the depinning of the domain wall, a signature of nucleation and propagation mechanism. The correlation of FORC measurements, resistance relaxation, and macroscopic magnetic measurements indicate a fast reversal of electronic and magnetic phases towards the denser phase region and strong interaction of different phases for the LPCMO system.

Crystalline texture of cobalt nanowire arrays probed by the switching field distribution and FORC diagrams

The crystalline texture of arrays of low diameter Co nanowires (NWs) synthesized by electrodeposition using electrolytes with different acidities (pH in the range 2.0–6.6) was studied by the switching field distribution (SFD) and first order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams. Particularly, the SFD determined as the derivative of the descending part of the major hysteresis loop has proven to be a reliable and powerful method for the identification of different crystalline textures in the NWs and the quantification of their corresponding texture percentages. The presence of the face centered cubic-like texture at low pH values and hexagonal close packed textures with the c-axis perpendicular and parallel to the NWs axis at higher pH values have been identified by performing multiple Gaussian fits to the SFD by virtue of their different magnetic behavior observed during reversal of the magnetization. The field position and size of each curve in the multiple Gaussian fit provide information about the corresponding magnetic contribution and volumetric texture percentage of each crystalline texture in the NWs, respectively. The analysis of the SFD has been complemented and validated with FORC diagram measurements, showing that the width of the coercive field distribution is in good agreement with the width of the SFD. Also, it has been found that the different branches observed in the FORC diagrams along the interaction axis provide further insight on the interaction between magnetocrystalline fields. This work provides a novel methodology for the use of magnetometry as a reliable technique for the study of the interplay between the microstructure and magnetic behavior of arrays of NWs.

Temperature dependence of magnetization reversal mechanism in misch-metal substituted Nd-Fe-B magnets sintered by dual alloy method

The substitution of Nd by misch-metal (MM) in Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets has attracted extensive attention due to the effective reduction of production cost and rational utilization of rare earth resources. In particular, multi-main phase (MMP) magnets prepared by dual alloy method possess a higher permanent magnetic performance than that of single main phase (SMP) magnets. However, the coercivity mechanism of MMP magnets is different from the nucleation and propagation of SMP magnets, especially the interactions of different 2:14:1 main phases have not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the temperature dependence of magnetization reversal mechanism in (MM,Nd)-Fe-B magnets by using recoil loops, minor hysteresis loops, first-order and second-order reversal curves. It found that with the increase of temperature, the magnetic moments motion is mainly affected by long-range magnetostatic interaction rather than exchange coupling. The weakened coupling interaction makes the demagnetization process of softer and harder magnetic phases asynchronous. The thermal activation energy barrier index related to coercivity mechanism is 1.45, 1.18 and 1.0 at 200 K, 300 K and 380 K, respectively. It indicates that nucleation and expansion of reversed domains are the main mechanisms controlling the magnetization reversal process at low temperature. While the coercivity at high temperature is mainly determined by the domain wall pinning mechanism. In addition, we noted that both two coercivity mechanisms coexist in MMP magnets at 300 K. Micromagnetism has also been used to verify the coercivity mechanism of (MM,Nd)-Fe-B magnets sintered by dual alloy method, which is of great significance for improving the magnetic properties of high abundance rare earth magnets.

On the ferrite-controlled iron coupling for enhanced soft magnetic hybrid composites via first-order reversal curves

The substitution of conventional non-magnetic binder in soft magnetic iron composites by insulating spinel ferrite has been proven as a powerful avenue for enhancing the interparticle coupling while suppressing eddy currents. The inherent shortcomings of macroscopic characterization, hindering the phase- and magnetization process-resolved reconstruction, are overcome by generalized application of the first-order reversal curves analysis for the first time. The mechanism of involving ferrite coating as a true matrix, evolving from the beneficial coupling effect at low concentrations towards the reappearing demagnetizing interactions that trigger a partial decoupling at higher fractions, is evidenced in the computed diagrams encompassing the microscopic switching. This substantial improvement is related to a thin and uniform layer of submicron ferrite grains, occupying less than 5 vol% of bulk composite, which compensates the free magnetic poles at the surface of iron particles and restrains the action of local anisotropic demagnetizing field. A significant constriction of switching and interaction field distributions in ferrite-coated iron composites with respect to a ferrite-free system is modeled and the conditions for having amplified interphase coupling are defined. We further demonstrate that heterogeneous switching of core particles and their shell provides an efficient way of manipulating the domain walls activity with increasing prevalence of spin rotations with excessive content of ferrite.

The effects of magnetic interactions on first-order reversal curve (FORC) and the origin of the negative region for Nd-Fe-B based magnets

In this study, we investigated the effects of magnetic interactions within Nd-Fe-B magnets on first-order reversal curve (FORC) and the origin of negative regions in FORC diagram. Magnetostatic interaction causes the FORC diagram pattern to expand along the Hu axis, especially in the direction of positive half-axis of Hu. And the negative regions will tend to be embedded in the positive regions when magnetostatic interaction is not negligible. The origin of the negative peaks is the difference of the onset of magnetization and the subsequent magnetization process of adjacent FORCs caused by the different and complex stray fields within magnets at the beginning of the FORCs. Besides, the origin of the positive peaks is analyzed in detail as well.

Microstructure, ion adsorption and magnetic behavior of mesoporous γ-Fe2O3 ferrite nanoparticles.

Magnetic nanoparticles with capacity for surface functionalisation have potential applications in water purification and biomedicine. Here, a simple co-precipitation technique was used to synthesize mesoporous ferrite nanoparticles in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micellular surfactant. The as-synthesized ferrite nanoparticles were calcined at 250 °C for 5, 10, 15, and 24 h to remove the surfactant and create a mesoporous structure. The prepared samples were characterised using a wide range of analytical techniques. Microscopical images showed that all uncalcined particles have cauliflower shape without porosity. However, after calcination, surface and deep pores were created on the synthesized nanoparticles. In addition, transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of calcined nanoparticles revealed a wormhole-like structure, which is typical for the mesoporous architectures. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), the uncalcined and calcined samples exhibit pure Fe3O4 (magnetite) and γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite) ferrite phases, respectively. The γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles demonstrated a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area with pore diameters smaller than 10 nm and a type IV isotherm similar to the mesopores. Hysteresis loops measured by vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) showed the superparamagnetic nature for mesoporous γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The first-order reversal curve (FORC) diagram revealed the formation of a mesoporous structure in calcined materials which reduces coercive distribution (Hc) and magnetostatic interaction (Hu) once compared to non-calcined samples. Mesoporous γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were successfully employed as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal ions of Pb(ii) from an aqueous solution. The highest lead ion adsorption was observed in mesoporous γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles prepared with 3% CTAB.

Tuning magnetostatic interaction and coercivity distributions of FeCo/Cu multilayer nanowire arrays by variation of magnetic and nonmagnetic layer aspect ratios

FeCo/Cu multilayer NW arrays are fabricated using a pulsed electrodeposition method in 50 nm pore diameter anodic aluminum oxide templates. The magnetic layer (LFeCo) and nonmagnetic layer (LCu) thicknesses range between 23–225 and 2–50 nm, respectively. These layer designations make it possible to find a thin Cu layer, in which the magnetic behavior of multilayer NWs is similar to that of alloy NWs. A threshold LCu is also obtained, representing dual behavior of the coercive field in FeCo/Cu multilayer NWs. These behaviors, in turn, are associated with an increase in magnetizing and demagnetizing interactions, as evidenced by hysteresis curve and first-order reversal curve experiments. By extracting magnetic parameters such as the average coercive field, irreversible coercive field, magnetostatic interaction distribution, and reversibility, the magnetic behavior of FeCo/Cu multilayer NWs is comprehensively explored as a function of LFeCo.

Local cation order and ferrimagnetism in compositionally complex spinel ferrites

We present an exploration of a family of compositionally complex cubic spinel ferrites featuring combinations of Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mn, and Zn cations, systematically investigating the average and local atomic structures, chemical short-range order, magnetic spin configurations, and magnetic properties. All compositions result in ferrimagnetic average structures with extremely similar local bonding environments; however, the samples display varying degrees of cation inversion and, therefore, differing apparent bulk magnetization. Additionally, first-order reversal curve analysis of the magnetic reversal behavior indicates varying degrees of magnetic ordering and interactions, including potentially local frustration. Finally, reverse Monte Carlo modeling of the spin orientation demonstrates a relationship between the degree of cation inversion and the spin collinearity. Collectively, these observations correlate with differences in synthesis procedures. This work provides a framework for understanding magnetic behavior reported for “high-entropy spinels,” revealing many are likely compositionally complex oxides with differing degrees of chemical short-range order—not meeting the community established criteria for high or medium entropy compounds. Moreover, this work highlights the importance of reporting complete sample processing histories and investigating local to long-range atomic arrangements when evaluating potential entropic mixing effects and assumed property correlations in high entropy materials.

Current density-induced emergence of soft and hard magnetic phases in Fe nanowire arrays

The capability of generating magnetically soft and hard phases in a material is important in many aspects, ranging from basic science to applications. Here, the emergence of soft and hard magnetic phases is reported in Fe nanowire (NW) arrays with a diameter of 35 nm fabricated by using a pulsed electrochemical deposition method in porous aluminum oxide templates under different current density (C d ) values in the range of 25–100 mA cm−2. The variation of C d influences the grain size, crystallinity, electrodeposition efficiency and length of the Fe NWs, as characterized by x-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Increasing C d from 25 to 80 mA cm−2 results in a significant decrease in coercivity and squareness from 1590 to 900 Oe and 0.9 to 0.5, respectively, inducing the soft and hard phases along the length of Fe NWs. Further increasing the C d leads to the separation of the phases, as evidenced by first-order reversal curve analysis. From a theoretical aspect, the emergence of the soft phase may lead to the occurrence of the fanning reversal mode in the NWs, for which there is no precedent in previous experimental investigations.

Element-specific first order reversal curves measured by magnetic transmission x-ray microscopy

The first-order reversal curve (FORC) method is a macroscopic measurement technique that can be used to extract quantitative and microscopic properties of hysteretic systems. Using magnetic transmission x-ray microscopy (MTXM), local element-specific FORC measurements are performed on a 20 nm thick film of CoTb. The FORCs measured with microscopy reveal a step-by-step domain evolution under the magnetic field cycling protocol and provide a direct visualization of the mechanistic interpretation of FORC diagrams. They are compared with magnetometry FORCs and show good quantitative agreement. Furthermore, the high spatial resolution and element-specific sensitivity of MTXM provide new capabilities to measure FORCs in small regions or specific phases within multicomponent systems, including buried layers in heterostructures. The ability to perform FORCs on very small features is demonstrated with the MTXM-FORC measurement of a rectangular microstructure with vortex-like Landau structures. This work demonstrates the confluence of two uniquely powerful techniques to achieve quantitative insight into nanoscale magnetic behavior.

Microstructure, magnetic domains and magnetic properties of Ti/Fe/Ni81Fe19/Fe/Ti multilayer films by obliquely deposition

The metallic magnetic thin films are widely used in high-frequency magnetic devices, the reliability of which greatly depends on the saturation magnetization (Ms) and resonance frequency (fr) of the films. However, increasing the operating frequency of the magnetic thin film is extremely challenging. This study investigates the microstructure, magnetic domains and magnetic properties of obliquely deposited Ti/Fe/Ni81Fe19/Fe/Ti multilayer films. The coercivity distribution of the deposited films is investigated by first order reversal curve (FORC) measurements. The result of static magnetic properties revealed the in-plane uniaxial anisotropy with a high anisotropy field (Hk) up to 495 Oe. A magneto-optical Kerr microscope image displayed the multi-step magnetization reversal processes at different oblique angles. Complex permeability spectra indicated that the resonance frequency increases from 1.27 to 4.71 GHz as the deposition angle is increased from 0° to 25°. Thus, Ti/Fe/Ni81Fe19/Fe/Ti multilayer film with tunable magnetic performances is one of the good candidate materials for microwave devices.

The Nature of Ferromagnetism in a System of Self-Ordered α-FeSi2 Nanorods on a Si(111)-4° Vicinal Surface: Experiment and Theory.

In this study, the appearance of magnetic moments and ferromagnetism in nanostructures of non-magnetic materials based on silicon and transition metals (such as iron) was considered experimentally and theoretically. An analysis of the related literature shows that for a monolayer iron coating on a vicinal silicon surface with (111) orientation after solid-phase annealing at 450–550 °C, self-ordered two-dimensional islands of α-FeSi2 displaying superparamagnetic properties are formed. We studied the transition to ferromagnetic properties in a system of α-FeSi2 nanorods (NRs) in the temperature range of 2–300 K with an increase in the iron coverage to 5.22 monolayers. The structure of the NRs was verified along with distortions in their lattice parameters due to heteroepitaxial growth. The formation of single-domain grains in α-FeSi2 NRs with a cross-section of 6.6 × 30 nm2 was confirmed by low-temperature and field studies and FORC (first-order magnetization reversal curves) diagrams. A mechanism for maintaining ferromagnetic properties is proposed. Ab initio calculations in freestanding α-FeSi2 nanowires revealed the formation of magnetic moments for some surface Fe atoms only at specific facets. The difference in the averaged magnetic moments between theory and experiments can confirm the presence of possible contributions from defects on the surface of the NRs and in the bulk of the α-FeSi2 NR crystal lattice. The formed α-FeSi2 NRs with ferromagnetic properties up to 300 K are crucial for spintronic device development within planar silicon technology.

Enhancement of recoverable energy density and efficiency of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 ceramic modified by Bi(Mg0.5Zr0.5)O3

As one of the most popular lead-free energy storage materials, K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN)-based ceramics are expected to replace lead-based ceramics due to their high dielectric constant, high Curie temperature, and environmental friendliness. However, the high remnant polarization (Pr) and low breakdown strength (BDS) of KNN ceramic lead to its low energy storage properties, which limits its applications in energy storage field. In this work, the energy storage properties of KNN ceramic were improved by reducing average grain size and enhancing relaxor behavior. The 0.85K0.5Na0.5NbO3-0.15Bi(Mg0.5Zr0.5)O3 (0.85KNN-0.15BMZ) ceramic prepared by the solid state method not only has high recoverable energy storage density value (Wrec) of 3.47 J cm-3 but also has high energy storage efficiency value (η) of 89.14% at a high applied electric field of 320 kV/cm. In addition, the Wrec and η of 0.85KNN-0.15BMZ ceramic fluctuate slightly over the whole temperature range of 20–120 °C at 200 kV/cm, showing excellent temperature stability. At the same time, it can be concluded by first-order reversal curve distribution that 0.85KNN-0.15BMZ ceramic has excellent energy storage properties due to their enhanced relaxor behavior. In summary, the 0.85KNN-0.15BMZ ceramic can be used as the novel dielectric capacitor materials.

The meaning of maxima and minima in first order reversal curves: Determining the interaction between species in a sample

First-order reversal curves (FORCs) are a characterization technique for magnetic materials used in a wide range of research fields. Since their first application in the Earth Sciences two decades ago, their importance in science has been continuously growing and new experimental techniques have been subsequently designed based on the original idea of FORCs. Nonetheless, very recent experimental works on very well designed and simple magnetic structures demonstrate that even for the most simple cases the interpretation of FORC data lacks understanding. In this work, we address this problem analytically, explaining the meaning of maxima, minima and noisy tails and set a strategy to extract the interaction field between magnetic structures. The origin of this interaction field is often the magnetostatic energy, however, we propose that this strategy could be applied for estimating exchange interactions too.

Magnetic Structure of Wiegand Wire Analyzed by First-Order Reversal Curves.

Various coercive force field components in Wiegand wire exhibit a significant magnetization reversal under an applied magnetic field. A fast magnetization reversal is accompanied by a large Barkhausen jump, which induces a pulse voltage in a pickup coil wound around the Wiegand wire which serves as a power source for the devices or sensors. This study aims to elucidate the magnetization reversal in the Wiegand wire by using a first-order reversal curve (FORC) diagram method. The magnetic structure of the Wiegand wire typically comprises three layers: a soft layer, middle layer, and hard layer. In this study, we analyze the coercive and interactive force fields between the adjacent layers. The results demonstrate a high coercivity of the center core and a lower coercivity of the outer layer of the wire.

Interwire and Intrawire Magnetostatic Interactions in Fe-Au Barcode Nanowires with Alternating Ferromagnetically Strong and Weak Segments.

Metallic barcode nanowires (BNWs) composed of repeating heterogeneous segments fabricated by template-assisted electrodeposition can offer extended functionality in magnetic, electrical, mechanical, and biomedical applications. The authors consider such nanostructures as a 3D system of magnetically interacting elements with magnetic behavior strongly affected by complex magnetostatic interactions. This study discusses the influence of geometrical parameters of segments on the character of their interactions and the overall magnetic behavior of the array of BNWs having alternating magnetization, because the Fe and Au segments are made of Fe-Au alloys with high and low magnetizations. By controlling the applied current densities and the elapsed time in the electrodeposition, the dimension of the Fe-Au BNWs can be regulated. This study reveals that the influence of the length of magnetically weak Au segments on the interaction field between nanowires is different for samples with magnetically strong 100 and 200 nm long Fe segments using the first-order reversal curve (FORC) diagram method. With the help of micromagnetic simulations, three types of magnetostatic interactions in the BNW arrays are discovered and analy. This study demonstrates that the dominating type of interaction depends on the geometric parameters of the Fe and Au segments and the interwire and intrawire distances.