Magnetic Structure Research Articles

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.

Ni4Nb1.8W0.1Ti0.1O9: Stabilization of the I-Type Ni4Nb2O9 Structure and First Magnetic Study of This Corundum-like Compound.

For the first time, we report on the structural and magnetic properties of a polycrystalline sample of Ni4Nb2O9 from I-type (Fdd2), obtained by the partial cosubstitution of Nb5+ by Ti4+ and W6+. The crystal structure is investigated by combining synchrotron X-ray, neutron, and electron diffraction at room temperature. This I-type structure is derived from the corundum-like Ni4Nb2O9 II-type (Pbcn) and is noncentrosymmetric and polar. The Ni-lattice is composed of the stacking of distorted honeycomb layers with double zigzag ribbons 60° disoriented from each other in two successive double layers. The connection between layers is ensured by the sharing of octahedra faces building (Nb,W,Ti)2O9, Ni2O9, and Ni3O12 units. This study shows how the disruption of the Nb2O6 units by smaller d0 cations impacts the structure, significantly modifying the Ni network and, thus, the magnetic properties. The latter were studied by dc- and ac-magnetic susceptibility, and the magnetic structure was solved by neutron powder diffraction. A ferrimagnetic behavior occurs below 68 K, followed by a re-entrant spin-glass-like behavior below ≈50 K.

Polarization Degree of Magnetic Field Structure Changes Caused by Random Magnetic Field in Gamma-Ray Burst

In a Poynting-flux-dominated jet that exhibits an ordered magnetic field, a transition toward turbulence and magnetic disorder follows after magnetic reconnection and energy dissipation during the prompt emission phase. In this process, the configuration of the magnetic field evolves with time, rendering it impossible to entirely categorize the magnetic field as ordered. Therefore, we assumed a crude model that incorporates a random magnetic field and an ordered magnetic field, and takes into account the proportionality of the random magnetic field strength to the ordered magnetic field, in order to compute the polarization degree (PD) curve for an individual pulse. It has been discovered that the random magnetic field has a significant impact on the PD results of the low-energy X-ray. In an ordered magnetic field, the X-ray segment maintains a significant PD compared to those in the hundreds of keV and MeV ranges even after electron injection ceases, making PD easier to detect by polarimetry. However, when the random magnetic field is introduced, the low-energy and high-energy PDs exhibit a similar trend, with the X-ray PD being lower than that of the high-energy segment. Of course, this is related to the rate of disorder in the magnetic field. Additionally, there are two rotations of the polarization angles (PAs) that were not present previously, and the rotation of the PA in the high-energy segment occurs slightly earlier. These results are unrelated to the structure of the ordered magnetic field.

Analysis of Relationship between Microwave Magnetic Properties and Magnetic Structure of Permalloy Films

Changes in the microwave permeability of permalloy films with an increase in the film thickness are studied. Measurement data on the evolution of microwave permeability with film thickness are analyzed in the framework of a model for the film with a regular stripe domain structure and out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy. A correlation between the microwave magnetic properties and magnetic structure of permalloy films is established. It is demonstrated that the observed decrease in the ferromagnetic resonance frequency and the static permeability with a growth in the film thickness can ascribed to the appearance of perpendicular anisotropy and the formation of a stripe domain structure. The calculated dependences of the ferromagnetic resonance frequency and static permeability on the film thickness are in reasonable agreement with the measurement results. Based on the analysis of these dependences, the domain width in the permalloy films is estimated. It is found that for thick permalloy films, the domain width is of the order of the film thickness. The results obtained may be useful for high-frequency applications of soft magnetic films.

Tuning structural modulation and magnetic properties in metal-organic coordination polymers [CH3NH3]CoxNi1-x(HCOO)3.

Three solid solutions of [CH3NH3]CoxNi1-x(HCOO)3, with x = 0.25 (1), x = 0.50 (2) and x = 0.75 (3), were synthesized and their nuclear structures and magnetic properties were characterized using single-crystal neutron diffraction and magnetization measurements. At room temperature, all three compounds crystallize in the Pnma orthorhombic space group, akin to the cobalt and nickel end series members. On cooling, each compound undergoes a distinct series of structural transitions to modulated structures. Compound 1 exhibits a phase transition to a modulated structure analogous to the pure Ni compound [Cañadillas-Delgado, L., Mazzuca, L., Fabelo, O., Rodríguez-Carvajal, J. & Petricek, V. (2020). Inorg. Chem. 59, 17896-17905], whereas compound 3 maintains the behaviour observed in the pure Co compound reported previously [Canadillas-Delgado, L., Mazzuca, L., Fabelo, O., Rodriguez-Velamazan, J. A. & Rodriguez-Carvajal, J. (2019). IUCrJ, 6, 105-115], although in both cases the temperatures at which the phase transitions occur differ slightly from the pure phases. Monochromatic neutron diffraction measurements showed that the structural evolution of 2 diverges from that of either parent compound, with competing hydrogen bond interactions that drive the modulation throughout the series, producing a unique sequence of phases. It involves two modulated phases below 96 (3) and 59 (3) K, with different q vectors, similar to the pure Co compound (with modulated phases below 128 and 96 K); however, it maintains the modulated phase below magnetic order [at 22.5 (7) K], resembling the pure Ni compound (which presents magnetic order below 34 K), resulting in an improper modulated magnetic structure. Despite these large-scale structural changes, magnetometry data reveal that the bulk magnetic properties of these solid solutions form a linear continuum between the end members. Notably, doping of the metal site in these solid solutions allows for tuning of bulk magnetic properties, including magnetic ordering temperature, transition temperatures and the nature of nuclear phase transitions, through adjustment of metal ratios.

Effect of 10 MeV electron irradiation on structural and magnetic properties of Ti- and Al- substituted strontium hexaferrite SrFe11.3Ti0.4Al0.3O19

The irradiation stability of Ti- and Al-substituted SrFe11.3Ti0.4Al0.3O19 strontium hexaferrite to 10 MeV electron irradiation with the fluences of 1014 and 2·1017 cm−2 was investigated using various characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrum microanalysis, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and magnetic force microscopy. Notable changes in lattice vibrations, magnetic domain microstructure and magnetization behavior were obtained after the electron irradiation with the fluence of 2·1017 cm−2. Phonon hardening observed by Raman spectroscopy confirms the increasing disorder in crystalline structure and the presence of spin-phonon coupling in the samples after electron irradiation with the fluence 2·1017 cm−2. It was found that the strongest spin-phonon interactions correspond to A1g vibration modes at trigonal bipyramidal 2b, 2a octahedral, 4f1 tetrahedral sites and E1g mode at 4f2 octahedral site in electron-irradiated SrFe11.3Ti0.4Al0.3O19 hexaferrite, while the most radiation-resistant phonon mode is A1g vibration of the Fe–O bonds at the 4f2 octahedral site. No significant change was observed in magnetic saturation magnitude after electron irradiation. The increase in coercivity and significant decrease of magnitude of the dM/dH derivative of magnetization curves with increasing radiation fluence is attributed to the increase in uniaxial magnetic-crystalline anisotropy. It is found that the fractal dimension of hierarchical magnetic domain structure in SrFe11.3Ti0.4Al0.3O19 continuously decreases with increasing fluence of 10 MeV electron irradiation, which can be caused by the distortion in uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy and irradiation-induced defects.

Tilted-chiral-state-induced topological Hall effect in chiral magnetic soliton host Cr1/3TaS2

Chromium-intercalated Cr1/3TaS2 is well known for hosting a nontrivial chiral magnetic soliton lattice (CSL) with the reported highest Curie temperature (TC∼151 K) and strongest spin–orbit coupling, which has significant applications in gigahertz and high-speed spintronic devices. Herein, we thoroughly investigate the magneto-electrical transport properties of Cr1/3TaS2 single crystals. For H//ab, our magnetoresistance (MR) measurements reveal distinctive step-like behaviors, which are attributed to the formation and annihilation of chiral magnetic solitons. When under an oblique field, similar but weaker MR behaviors are observed compared to H//ab, indicating the appearance of an inclination-field-induced tilted-CSL. A topological Hall effect is observed under an oblique field, which is suggested to be induced by a nonzero topological charge density resulting from the tilted chiral states. The Cr1/3TaS2 offers an intriguing platform for studying the impact of chiral magnetic structures on magneto-electrical properties, which holds promise for both future spintronic device applications and fundamental investigation.

Pinning of domain walls in epitaxial garnet film patterned by surface arrays of ferromagnetic metal particles

Rare-earth iron garnet epitaxial films famous for their unique magnetic, microwave and optical properties consistently attract high interest. Domain structure of both bulk and interfaces of garnet films is closely connected with their magnetic properties and magnetization dynamics. In this work, we investigate the magnetic behaviour and domain structure of an epitaxial bismuth-substituted lutetium iron garnet film with a regular array of planar submicron particles made of Co film or Co/Pt multilayer on its surface. Optical polarization microscopy and magnetic force microscopy techniques used for the characterization of these composite structures confirm the mutual influence of the garnet and metal nanostructured layers on each other. On the one hand, dense ordered metal particles provide the pinning of the surface magnetic domains of the garnet film, which further affects the organization of the bulk stripe domains. On the other hand, we observed that the domain structure in the metallic pattern is governed by the domain structure of the garnet placed beneath it.

Inverse and conventional dual magnetocaloric effects in Ni substituted Y-type Sr2Zn2-xNixFe12O22 hexaferrites

The effects of Ni substitution on magnetic and magnetocaloric effect (MCE) are investigated in polycrystalline Y-type hexaferrites of Sr2Zn2-xNixFe12O22 (x = 0.0, 0.8, and 2.0). With the increasing of temperature, the M-T curves indicate successive magnetic structure transitions exist in Sr2Zn2-xNixFe12O22 (x = 0.0, 0.8, and 2.0), which play significant roles in MCE behaviors. As the Ni2+ doping ratio increases, the shape of −ΔSM−T curves near room temperature evolves gradually from a table-like to a peak-like form. Particularly, a significant contrast between CMCE and IMCE is observed below 100 K, whose behavior can be inherently exploited for heat sink in magnetic refrigeration applications. Among the samples in this series, Sr2Zn1.2Ni0.8Fe12O22 plays the best CMCE and IMCE performances, with the maximum magnetic entropy change (−ΔSMmax) values of 0.78 J/kg K at 354 K and −0.56 J/kg K at 16 K for ΔH=50kOe , respectively. Our work demonstrates that Sr2Zn2-xNixFe12O22 hexaferrites have great potential to be tailored for magnetic refrigeration with special needs such as different operating temperature zones, Ericsson cycle or heat sink at refrigeration.

Determining magnetic structures in GSAS-II using the Bilbao Crystallographic Server tool k-SUBGROUPSMAG.

The embedded call to a special version of the web-based Bilbao Crystallographic Server tool k-SUBGROUPSMAG from within GSAS-II to form a list of all possible commensurate magnetic subgroups of a parent magnetic grey group is described. It facilitates the selection and refinement of the best commensurate magnetic structure model by having all the analysis tools including Rietveld refinement in one place as part of GSAS-II. It also provides the chosen magnetic space group as one of the 1421 possible standard Belov-Neronova-Smirnova forms or equivalent non-standard versions.

Analysis of magnetic structures in JANA2020.

JANA2020 is a program developed for the solution and refinement of regular, twinned, modulated, and composite crystal structures. In addition, JANA2020 also includes a magnetic option for solving magnetic structures from powder and single-crystal neutron diffraction data. This tool uses magnetic space and superspace symmetry to describe commensurate and incommensurate magnetic structures. The basics of the underlying formulation of magnetic structure factors and the use of magnetic symmetry for handling modulated and non-modulated magnetic structures are presented here, together with the general features of the magnetic tool. Examples of structures solved in the magnetic option of JANA2020 are given to illustrate the operation and capabilities of the program.

Unique magnetic structure of the vdW antiferromagnet VBr3

VBr3 is a van der Waals antiferromagnet below the Néel temperature of 26.5 K with a saturation moment of 1.2 µB/f.u. above the metamagnetic transitions detected in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions. To reveal the AFM structure of VBr3 experimentally, we performed a single-crystal neutron diffraction study on a large high-quality crystal. The collected data confirmed a slight monoclinic distortion of the high-temperature rhombohedral structure below 90 K. The magnetic structure was, nevertheless, investigated within the R-3 model. The antiferromagnetic structure propagation vector k = (1, 0, ½) was revealed. In an attempt to determine the magnetic structure, 72 non-equivalent magnetic reflections were recorded. The experimental data were confronted with the magnetic space groups dictated by the R-3 lattice symmetry and propagation vector. The best agreement between the experimental data and the magnetic structure model was obtained for the space group P-1.1′_c. The magnetic unit cell of the proposed unique antiferromagnetic structure with periodicity 6c is built from two identical triple layers antiferromagnetically coupled along the c axis. Each triple layer comprises a Néel antiferromagnetic monolayer sandwiched between two antiferromagnetically coupled ferromagnetic monolayers.

Stability and evolution of skyrmionium and skyrmions in a spherical shell

The study of magnetic structures, particularly those with curved geometries such as spherical shells, has obtained significant interest due to their potential applications in data storage, spintronics, and other advanced technologies. However, the effects of material parameters, geometric dimensions, and magnetic fields on the equilibrium and induced behaviors of skyrmions remain largely unresolved. Here, based on micromagnetic simulations, we firstly investigate the influence of spherical shell dimensions, magnetic anisotropy, exchange interaction, and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction on the magnetic states of spherical shells. We find that curvature effects become more pronounced with increasing thickness and decreasing radius, providing evidence for the role of curvature-induced DMI-like interactions in skyrmion formation. Additionally, we observe that applying a magnetic field to the spherical shell induces behaviors similar to those in disks, including the topological transition between skyrmionium and skyrmion states, the annihilation of skyrmions, and polarity reversal. Our study aims to advance the understanding of magnetic phenomena in curved geometries and contribute to the development of novel magnetic devices.

Low-dimensional metal-organic frameworks: a pathway to design, explore and tune magnetic structures.

The magnetic structure adopted by a material relies on symmetry, the hierarchy of exchange interactions between magnetic ions and local anisotropy. A direct pathway to control the magnetic interactions is to enforce dimensionality within the material, from zero-dimensional isolated magnetic ions, one-dimensional (1D) spin-chains, two-dimensional (2D) layers to three-dimensional (3D) order. Being able to design a material with a specific dimensionality for the phenomena of interest is non-trivial. While many advances have been made in the area of inorganic magnetic materials, organic compounds offer distinct and potentially more fertile ground for material design. In particular magnetic metal-organic frameworks (mMOFs) combine magnetism with non-magnetic property functionality on the organic linkers within the structural framework, which can further be tuned with mild perturbations of pressure and field to induce phase transitions. Here, it is examined how neutron scattering measurements on mMOFs can be used to directly determine the magnetic structure when the magnetic ions are in a 2D layered environment within the wider 3D crystalline framework. The hydrated formate, in deuterated form, Co(DCOO)2·2D2O, which was one of the first magnetic MOFs to be investigated with neutron diffraction, is reinvestigated as an exemplar case.

Antiferromagnetism and Phase Stability of CrMnFeCoNi High-Entropy Alloy.

It has long been suspected that magnetism could play a vital role in the phase stability of multicomponent high-entropy alloys. However, the nature of the magnetic order, if any, has remained elusive. Here, by using elastic and inelastic neutron scattering, we demonstrate evidence of antiferromagnetic order below ∼80 K and strong spin fluctuations persisting to room temperature in a single-phase face-centered cubic (fcc) CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy. Despite the chemical complexity, the magnetic structure in CrMnFeCoNi can be described as γ-Mn-like, with the magnetic moments confined in alternating (001) planes and pointing toward the ⟨111⟩ direction. Combined with first-principles calculation results, it is shown that the antiferromagnetic order and spin fluctuations help stabilized the fcc phase in CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy.

Zero Thermal Expansion Behavior in High‐Entropy Anti‐Perovskite Mn3Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Mn0.2Cu0.2N

AbstractThe exploration of the non‐collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase holds promise for the discovery of zero thermal expansion (ZTE) materials, which is of great significance to resist the temperature effect in aerospace and precision engineering fields. Currently, there is still a lack of effective approaches to regulate this special AFM phase. In this work, a non‐collinear AFM phase has been obtained in the anti‐perovskite compound Mn3Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2Mn0.2Cu0.2N proposed by high‐entropy engineering. Utilizing neutron powder diffraction (NPD) analysis, the magnetic structure is resolved to be a triangular AFM phase with a k = [0, 0, 0] and a ferromagnetic (FM) component located at the corner of the cubic structure, which belongs to the R‐3 space group. Particularly, it presents ZTE behavior in a wide temperature range from 10 to 180 K. In‐situ NPD analysis reveals that the negative thermal expansion attributed to magnetic evolution almost offsets the normal positive thermal expansion quantified by the Debye formula. Further first principles calculations reveal that the specific AFM phase derives from the AFM‐type nearest neighboring magnetic exchange interactions and the easy‐axis‐type magnetic anisotropy. This demonstration offers an efficient strategy for designing magnetic structures and achieving ZTE over a wide temperature range.

Effect of Nb-doping and AC annealing on the microstructure, magnetism and magnetoimpedance of metallic fibers

This paper systematically studies the changes in the microstructure and magnetic properties of CoFeSiBNb series metallic fibers before and after AC annealing. The influence of current intensity on the magneto-impedance (MI) effect of the fibers is analyzed and the mechanism of current annealing to improve the MI characteristics is further revealed. The results show that the surface of the CoFeSiBNb metallic fibers before and after AC annealing is smooth and continuous, the tensile strength of CoFeSiBNb3 fiber is 5.15 GPa and it is the most stable and fracture-reliable. After AC annealing, metallic fibers' general magnetic properties and MI ratio increase at first with current intensity and then decrease at higher intensities. Specifically, the 140 mA AC annealed metallic fiber shows excellent magnetic properties with Ms, μm, Hc, and Mr values reaching 94.38 emu/g, 0.4326, 34.36 Oe, and 13.94 emu/g, respectively. With an excitation frequency of f = 1 MHz, the fiber's [ΔZ/Zmax]max, ξmax, Hk, and Hp reached 216.81%, 31.04 %/Oe, 1 Oe, and 2 Oe, respectively. During the current annealing process, Joule heat eliminates residual stresses in the fibers while forming atomically ordered micro-domains, which improves the degree of its organizational order. Meanwhile, a stable toroidal magnetic field is generated, which promotes the distribution of the magnetic domain structure of the fibers, thereby improving the MI effect.

Evaluating the Viability and Optimization of Plasma Pilot Plants

Nuclear fusion stands as a promising avenue for achieving a sustainable and abundant energy source. Central to this endeavor is the development of effective pilot plants capable of demonstrating the feasibility of fusion power on a commercial scale. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of three leading magnetic confinement fusion configurations: the Advanced Tokamak (AT), Spherical Tokamak (ST), and Compact Stellarator (CS).The Tokamak, characterized by its toroidal shape and strong magnetic fields, has been the most researched and developed fusion device. The analysis focuses on the challenges related to maintaining stability and minimizing disruptions. Furthermore, the optimization strategies involving advanced materials, superconducting magnets, and innovative plasma control techniques are discussed to enhance the Tokamak's viability. In contrast, the Spherical Tokamak, a variant with a more compact and spherical design, promises improved current advancements including the handling of higher heat loads and magnetic field configurations. The Stellarator, with its complex, twisted magnetic field structure, eliminates the need for continuous external current drive, addressing some intrinsic issues of the Tokamak. By comparing these configurations, the paper identifies the relative strengths and weaknesses of each approach in terms of confinement efficiency, operational stability, and engineering feasibility. The evaluation is supported by recent experimental data, simulation results, and technological advancements. Finally, the paper proposes a roadmap for the future development of fusion pilot plants, highlighting the need for an integrated approach that leverages the strengths of each configuration while addressing their individual challenges. The synthesis of this evaluation underscores the importance of continued research, cross-collaboration, and investment in advanced technologies to realize the goal of practical and economically viable fusion energy. This comparative analysis aims to provide a strategic framework for policymakers, researchers, and engineers in the fusion community, fostering informed decisions and prioritizing research efforts towards the most promising fusion energy configurations.

Determining the factors influencing the reproducibility of measurements in the asymmetric cycle «coercive return—magnetization»

The induction of coercive return and induction of coercive force inversion can be used for magnetic structure analysis. On the example of the problem of heat treatment testing of 20H2M steel, the influence of the remagnetization rate and the resolving power of the current source on the magnitude and character of the obtained dependences is shown. It is established that a high rate of remagnetization and a large step of current setting are interfering factors complicating the reproduction of measurement results and obtaining reliable dependences.

Role of surface roughness in determining surface energy and magnetic properties of Fe80Ce20 films during thermal processing on Si(100) and glass substrates

In this study, Fe80Ce20 films were deposited on Si(100) and glass substrates using sputtering in a high-vacuum environment and subsequently heat-treated in a vacuum annealing furnace. The films, with thicknesses ranging from 10 nm to 50 nm, were annealed at temperatures of 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C. The objective was to investigate the effects of film thickness and annealing temperature on the structural, surface energy, and magnetic properties of the material. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of both Si(100)/Fe80Ce20 and Glass/Fe80Ce20 films. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed a smooth film surface that became rougher after annealing. Contact angle measurements indicated hydrophilic properties, with the highest surface energy observed in the as-deposited films due to a higher density of defects and grain boundaries. The hysteresis loop demonstrated exceptional soft magnetic properties and a high saturation magnetization (Ms) of approximately 2000 emu/cm³. Annealing at 100 °C altered the magnetic domain structure from a striped labyrinthine configuration to an aligned pattern. At higher annealing temperatures, the films exhibited grain growth, increased surface roughness, and new grain formation. Following annealing, the grains in the Fe80Ce20 films became larger, surface roughness increased, and the water contact angle increased, rendering the films more hydrophobic. The as-deposited films displayed the highest surface energy due to the high density of defects and grain boundaries. Increased surface roughness led to more grain boundary defects and irregularities, which served as pinning points for magnetic domain walls, thus increasing coercivity (Hc). Rough surfaces induced local stress fields, increased magnetic anisotropy, and decreased saturation magnetization. Thermal perturbations from higher annealing temperatures further disrupted the alignment of the magnetic moments, leading to a reduction in saturation magnetization.