Magnetization Dynamics In Nanostructures Research Articles

Route towards efficient magnetization reversal driven by voltage control of magnetic anisotropy

The voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) becomes a subject of major interest for spintronics due to its promising potential outcome: fast magnetization manipulation in magnetoresistive random access memories with enhanced storage density and very low power consumption. Using a macrospin approach, we carried out a thorough analysis of the role of the VCMA on the magnetization dynamics of nanostructures with out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy. Diagrams of the magnetization switching have been computed depending on the material and experiment parameters (surface anisotropy, Gilbert damping, duration/amplitude of electric and magnetic field pulses) thus allowing predictive sets of parameters for optimum switching experiments. Two characteristic times of the trajectory of the magnetization were analyzed analytically and numerically setting a lower limit for the duration of the pulses. An interesting switching regime has been identified where the precessional reversal of magnetization does not depend on the voltage pulse duration. This represents a promising path for the magnetization control by VCMA with enhanced versatility.

Nutation Spectroscopy of a Nanomagnet Driven into Deeply Nonlinear Ferromagnetic Resonance

Strongly out-of-equilibrium regimes in magnetic nanostructures exhibit novel properties, linked to the nonlinear nature of magnetization dynamics, which are of great fundamental and practical interest. Here, we demonstrate that field-driven ferromagnetic resonance can occur with substantial spatial coherency at unprecedented large angle of magnetization precessions, which is normally prevented by the onset of spin-wave instabilities and magnetization turbulent dynamics. Our results show that this limitation can be overcome in nanomagnets, where the geometric confinement drastically reduces the density of spin-wave modes. The obtained deeply nonlinear ferromagnetic resonance regime is probed by a new spectroscopic technique based on the application of a second excitation field. This enables to resonantly drive slow coherent magnetization nutations around the large angle periodic trajectory. Our experimental findings are well accounted for by an analytical model derived for systems with uniaxial symmetry. They also provide new means for controlling highly nonlinear magnetization dynamics in nanostructures, which open interesting applicative opportunities in the context of magnetic nanotechnologies.

Direct imaging of delayed magneto-dynamic modes induced by surface acoustic waves

The magnetoelastic effect—the change of magnetic properties caused by the elastic deformation of a magnetic material—has been proposed as an alternative approach to magnetic fields for the low-power control of magnetization states of nanoelements since it avoids charge currents, which entail ohmic losses. Here, we have studied the effect of dynamic strain accompanying a surface acoustic wave on magnetic nanostructures in thermal equilibrium. We have developed an experimental technique based on stroboscopic X-ray microscopy that provides a pathway to the quantitative study of strain waves and magnetization at the nanoscale. We have simultaneously imaged the evolution of both strain and magnetization dynamics of nanostructures at the picosecond time scale and found that magnetization modes have a delayed response to the strain modes, adjustable by the magnetic domain configuration. Our results provide fundamental insight into magnetoelastic coupling in nanostructures and have implications for the design of strain-controlled magnetostrictive nano-devices.

Motion and Switching of Dual-Vortex Cores in Elliptical Permalloy Nanodisk Stimulated by a Gaussian Magnetic Field Pulse

Magnetic nanostructures have potential applications in ultrahigh-density magnetic storage. In this paper, the dynamics of the dual magnetic vortices in elliptical Permalloy nanodisk are investigated using micromagnetic modeling. Under the stimulation of the short-axis ( $y$ -axis) Gaussian field pulse and long-axis ( $x$ -axis) constant field, the equilibrium positions of dual-vortex cores can be driven away from the initial positions. The displacement in the $y$ -direction is proportional to the magnitude of the $x$ -axis constant field. The displacement in the $x$ -direction exhibit periodic reliance on the pulsewidth of the $y$ -axis Gaussian field pulse. The threshold value of pulse strength for dual-vortex motion increases with the magnitude of the $x$ -axis constant field. The mechanism of polarity and chirality switching in dual-vortex cores are studied through analyzing the trajectories of vortex cores in the annihilation and nucleation processes. The switching of polarity exhibits an oscillatory dependence on the pulsewidth and strength. The minimum pulse strength required for chirality switching is 120 mT, while the corresponding pulsewidth is influenced by the $x$ -axis constant field. This paper provides insights on the magnetization dynamics of nanostructures containing dual vortices subject to external excitations.

Magnetization dynamics in nanostructures with weak/strong anisotropy

We investigate the high-frequency response of magnetization dynamics through magnetoimpedance (MI) effect in Permalloy-based multilayered thin films produced with two different non-magnetic metallic spacers: Cu and Ag. Due to the nature of the spacer materials, we are able to play with magnetic properties and to study both systems with weak/strong magnetic anisotropy. We verify very rich features in the magnetoimpedance behavior and high magnetoimpedance ratios, with values above 200%. We compare the MI results obtained in multilayered thin films with distinct spacers and number of bilayers, and discuss them in terms of the different mechanisms that govern the MI changes observed at distinct frequency ranges, intensity of the magnetic anisotropy, alignment between dc magnetic field and anisotropy direction. Besides, by considering a theoretical approach that takes into account two single models together and calculate the transverse magnetic permeability and the MI effect, we support our interpretation via numerical calculations modeling the effect of weak/strong magnetic anisotropy on the MI response. Thus, we confirm that these features are very important for the use of multilayered films in sensor applications and, both the frequency and field response can be tailored to fulfill the requirements of a given device.

Ultrafast phenomena on the nanoscale

Ultrafast phenomena on the nanoscale

Significance of nutation in magnetization dynamics of nanostructures

The dynamics of magnetic moments in nanostructures is closely linked to that of gyroscopes. The Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation describes precession and relaxation but does not include nutation. Both precession and relaxation have been observed in experiments, in contrast to nutation. The extension of the atomistic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation by a nutation term allows us to study the significance of nutation in magnetization dynamics of nanostructures: for a single magnetic moment, a chain of Fe atoms, and Co islands on Cu(111). We find that nutation is significant at low-coordination sites and on the time scale of about 100 fs; its observation challenges strongly today's experimental techniques.

Atomistic magnetization dynamics in nanostructures based on first principles calculations:application to Co nanoislands on Cu(111)

The magnetization dynamics of Co nanoislands on Cu(111) is studied on the atomic scaleby means of the stochastic Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation. The exchange and anisotropyconstants of the spin Hamiltonian are computed from first principles. We focus onhysteresis loops and magnetic switching in dependence on temperature, island size, andstrength of an external magnetic field. The magnetic switching of nanoislands whosemagnetization is reversed on the sub-nanosecond time scale is found consistent with theStoner–Wohlfarth theory. We separate the superparamagnetic from the ferromagneticregime and provide evidence that nanodomains can exist at least on a sub-picosecond timescale.

Interface Electronic Complexes and Landau Damping of Magnons in Ultrathin Magnets

The damping of magnons in ultrathin metallic magnets is studied from first-principles. We contrast Fe/Cu(100) and Fe/W(110) systems for which the influence of the substrate on the magnon life time differs strongly. We introduce the concept of Landau map in momentum space to assess the role of different electronic states in the attenuation. The formation of electronic complexes localized at the film-substrate interface leads to hot spots in the Landau maps and enhances the damping. This finding allows tuning the attenuation of high-frequency magnetization dynamics in nanostructures.

Micromagnetic simulations of the magnetization dynamics in nanostructures with special applications to spin injection

We present several micromagnetic simulation examples of magnetization dynamics driven by the spin injection. First, we address the validity of the macrospin approximation often used to interpret experimental data. Next, we discuss the interpretation of experimental results obtained on columnar multilayer structures and show that a sophisticated micromagnetic model which takes into account a polycrystalline structure of a nanoelement can explain qualitatively the most important features of the magnetization oscillation spectra observed experimentally. A quantitative agreement with experimental results, however, could not be achieved in the region of reasonable parameter values. The third part of our contribution deals with simulations of the point-contact experiments. Here, we find an important qualitative disagreement between the experiment and simulations. The latter predict the existence of two current regions of a steady-state precession of the point-contact area (before and after spin-polarized current-driven magnetization switching), whereas experimentally only one such region is observed. In conclusion, we discuss some explanations of the above-mentioned discrepancies.