Magnetization Reversal Behavior Research Articles

The Interplay of Core Diameter and Diameter Ratio on the Magnetic Properties of Bistable Glass-Coated Microwires

Glass-coated microwires exhibiting magnetic bistability have garnered significant attention as promising wireless sensing elements, primarily due to their rapid magnetization switching capabilities. These microwires consist of a metallic core with diameter d, encased in a glass coating, with a total diameter D. In this study, we investigated how the dimensions of both components and their ratio (d/D) influence the magnetization reversal behavior of Fe-based microwires. While previous studies have focused on either d or d/D individually, our research uniquely considered the combined effect of both parameters to provide a comprehensive understanding of their impact on magnetic properties. The metallic core diameter d varied from 10 to 19 µm and the d/D ratio was in the range of 0.48–0.68. To assess the magnetic properties of these microwires, including the shape of the hysteresis loop, coercivity, remanent magnetization, and the critical length of bistability, we employed vibrating sample magnetometry in conjunction with FORC-analysis. Additionally, to determine the critical length of bistability, magnetic measurements were conducted on microwires with various lengths, ranging from 1.5 cm down to 0.05 cm. Our findings reveal that coercivity is primarily dependent on the d/D parameter. These observations are effectively explained through an analysis that considers the competition between magnetostatic and magnetoelastic anisotropy energies. This comprehensive study paves the way for the tailored design of glass-coated microwires for diverse wireless sensing applications.

Achieving high-performance regeneration of grain boundary diffusion Nd-Fe-B sludge via an ultra-short process

The grinding sludge of grain boundary diffusion Nd-Fe-B magnet is rich in heavy rare earth and has a typical core–shell microstructure. In this work, an ultra-short process was developed to realize green, in-situ regeneration of the sludge and efficient reuse of heavy rare earth elements. The regenerated magnets showed excellent magnetic performance and good temperature stability which were fabricated after the purification of sludge, composition regulation with rare earth-rich compounds, Nd42.1FebalB0.79, NdHx, (PrNd)Hx, and sintering. Especially, the magnet prepared by using Nd42.1FebalB0.79 alloy had significant property recovery, where remanence and coercivity were restored to 12.8 kG, and 20.6 kOe, respectively, reaching 97.7 % and 162.5 % of the original magnet. The magnetization reversal behavior and the coercivity mechanism were analyzed to keep the nucleation mechanism, and the high coercivity stemmed from the repair and optimization of the grain boundary by introducing rare earth-rich alloys, the full utilization of heavy rare earth elements, and the core–shell microstructure rooted in the sludge as well.

The underlying mechanism of the strain-induced reversible magnetic state transition in MXene nanosheets

MXenes have emerged as one of the most promising members among the two-dimensional (2D) material family owing to their unique physical-chemical properties and outstanding application prospects. Here, we investigated the unique magnetic properties of Ti2C MXenes monolayer by means of the first-principles calculations combining with the Heisenberg spin Hamiltonian approach. A strain-induced reversible magnetic transition for the Ti2C monolayer could be found in our study. When the strain is applied to the Ti2C monolayer, the magnetic configuration of the Ti2C monolayer transforms from the A-type antiferromagnetic (A-AFM) phase to the ferromagnetic (FM) phase with the biaxial tensile strain larger than 6%. Furthermore, the transition from the A-AFM phase to the FM phase was found to be closely related with the change of the Ti and C atomic magnetic moments. The direct magnetic coupling between Ti and C atoms with the increased Ti and C magnetic moments is able to stabilize the structure due to the weakened superexchange interaction between Ti and C atoms under large tensile strain. This is the underlying driving force for the transition from the A-AFM phase to the FM phase. This work provides a promising pathway to better understand the existence of magnetic reversal behavior in the Ti2C MXenes monolayer and opens the door to future magnetic applications of MXenes.

Granular micromagnetic HAMR model: investigation of damping dependence and parametric optimization for high performance

Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is a novel high-density magnetic recording technology that relies on thermal assist from a laser during the writing process. To achieve high writing performance, it is important to study and optimize the crucial factors affecting the magnetization reversal mechanism at elevated temperature. In this work, we use a multiscale approach that combines atomistic and micromagnetic models to study the magnetization reversal behavior in the recording medium. The atomistic model allows to parameterize accurately the macroscopic approach, which is utilized to model the system and its dynamics. We perform a parametric investigation of the switching properties as a function of the HAMR setup characteristics as well as the material properties, such as magnetic damping. The results show that high damping and moderate external fields can achieve high-performance HAMR media characterized by high switching probability, short switching time and low peak temperature. We demonstrate that switching occurs via the linear reversal mechanism. By systematic variation of the longitudinal susceptibility we force a transition to coherent reversal and demonstrate that this reduces the switching probability, showing linear reversal to be an important component within the HAMR process.

The noncollinear interlayer coupling in NiFe/NiO/NiFe trilayers

The interlayer coupling and magnetization reversal behaviors in NiFe/NiO/NiFe trilayers were investigated using polarized neutron reflectivity and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Our results reveal that the shape of NiFe loops transitions from square to tilted as the NiO thicknesses decrease, indicating changes in the direction of NiFe layer’s easy axis. This phenomenon can be attributed to variations occurring at NiO/NiFe interfaces for different NiO layer thicknesses. With thin NiO layer, interdiffusion at the NiO/NiFe interfaces leads to frustrated coupling, resulting in a noncollinear interlayer coupling. This observation is supported by MC simulations. Conversely, hardly any coupling frustration is observed for the sample with a thick NiO layer. Our findings propose a novel way to tailor the interlayer coupling through interface engineering.

Effect of shell-induced stresses on the magnetic properties of Fe-based glass-coated microwires: Accounting of initial technical parameters

The study focuses on examining the impact of shell-induced stresses on the magnetic characteristics of Fe-based microwires encased in glass, with particular attention given to the critical fabrication parameters employed in the microwire production process utilizing the Taylor-Ulitovsky method. We systematically investigate how internal stresses affect magnetization reversal behaviors in both glass-coated and uncoated Fe77.5Si7.5B15 microwires through experimental analysis and compare these effects with those resulting from stress-annealing procedures. The simulation of stress distribution caused by the solidification process is based on thermo viscoelasticity theory considering a non-constant glass transition temperature. The analysis also includes the knowledge of the initial parameters of the microwires during the manufacturing.

The single power law relationship between coercivity and width in pointed composite element magnetic barcodes

Pointed magnetic elements are introduced as an improvement upon rectangular strips currently employed in composite element magnetic barcodes. The coercivity of these elements, as measured using the magneto-optic Kerr effect, is found to strictly adhere to a single power law relationship with the element width, where the power law exponent is dependent on the length of the pointed region and takes values between −0.98 and −0.91. The steeper gradients here, along with the absence of the crossover region seen in rectangular devices, present these structures as a strict improvement in terms of potential device applications. These improvements are found to be present for all structures where the pointed region is as long as, or longer than, the magnetic element is wide. The remanent magnetization configuration, imaged using photo-emission microscopy with contrast from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD-PEEM), is compared to the results of micromagnetic simulations. It is found to cant inward in the pointed section of the strip, aligning with the edges of the point, pinning the magnetization and giving a consistent magnetization reversal behavior for all element widths investigated.

Structure, morphology, and magnetic properties of Fe microparticles as impact on shock waves

To analyze the stability of the physical and chemical properties of Fe, samples were investigated by subjecting them to shockwaves. The magnetic response of Fe to the external magnetic field mainly depends on the degree of magnetic ordering and the temperature of the sample. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) characterization techniques were employed to analyze the crystallinity and cell volume of the structure obtained from Rietveld refinement. The sample was exposed to a shockwave ∼ 2.2 Mach with a different set of repetitions (such as 50, 100, 150, and 200). Refined data from PXRD shows no structural change in the crystallinity of the system. Williamson-Hall analysis demonstrates that the stress and strain between Fe change during the application of shocks. Thus, a noticeable change in the volume of the unit cell is observed. By subjecting the particles to repetitive shockwaves, their size was reduced. This was confirmed through imaging with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which compared the particle images before and after the application of shockwaves from different sets. The magnetic field and temperature dependencies were applied to measure the ambient and shocked conditions. The magnetization results indicate an increase in magnetic moment due to the influence of the shockwave conditions. Also, 100 shocks show a transition behavior from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic. Based on its convincing reversible magnetic phase transition behavior, Fe is a potential material for applications in magnetic sensors and spintronics.

Interlayer antiferromagnetic coupling in Tb3Fe5O12/Y3Fe5O12 bilayers

The interlayer antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling between thin films plays a significant role in the application of spintronics and magnetic memory devices. Previously, we observed AFM coupling phenomenon at low temperatures in rare-earth iron garnet bilayers epitaxially grown on Y3Al5O12 substrates. Here, we report a detailed study on the impacts of various factors, including temperature, crystallographic orientation, and layer thickness, on the AMF coupling and magnetization reversal behavior of such a bilayer system. A simple energy model qualitatively described the coupling behavior of the two layers during the magnetization reversal process. The interlayer coupling strength was calculated by measuring the minor magnetic hysteresis loops. The current results can serve as a reminder for future research on interlayer AFM coupling phenomena and highlight the potential of manipulating the magnetic properties in rare-earth garnet bilayers for spintronics studies and other applications.

Significant Progress for Hot-Deformed Nd-Fe-B Magnets: A Review.

High-performance Nd-Fe-B-based rare-earth permanent magnets play a crucial role in the application of traction motors equipped in new energy automobiles. In particular, the anisotropic hot-deformed (HD) Nd-Fe-B magnets prepared by the hot-press and hot-deformation process show great potential in achieving high coercivity due to their fine grain sizes of 200-400 nm, which are smaller by more than an order of magnitude compared to the traditional sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets. However, the current available coercivity of HD magnets is not as high as expected according to an empirical correlation between coercivity and grain size, only occupying about 25% of its full potential of the anisotropy field of the Nd2Fe14B phase. For the sake of achieving high-coercivity HD magnets, two major routes have been developed, namely the grain boundary diffusion process (GBDP) and the dual alloy diffusion process (DADP). In this review, the fundamentals and development of the HD Nd-Fe-B magnets are comprehensively summarized and discussed based on worldwide scientific research. The advances in the GBDP and DADP are investigated and summarized based on the latest progress and results. Additionally, the mechanisms of coercivity enhancement are discussed based on the numerous results of micromagnetic simulations to understand the structure-property relationships of the HD Nd-Fe-B magnets. Lastly, the magnetization reversal behaviors, based on the observation of magneto-optic Kerr effect microscopy, are analyzed to pinpoint the weak regions in the microstructure of the HD Nd-Fe-B magnets.

Antiferromagnetic fourfold anisotropy induced exchange bias and magnetization reversal behaviors in CoFeB/IrMn bilayers

Bilayers of an amorphous CoFeB ferromagnet coupled to an epitaxially grown IrMn antiferromagnet, whose anisotropy is fourfold symmetric, are modeled to study the angular (φ) dependence of magnetization reversal mechanism and exchange bias behavior, based on a modified Monte Carlo method. It is found that positive and negative exchange-bias field (HE) maximum values appear in the antiferromagnetic easy-axis directions, and the HE zero-value transition/return points exist in the antiferromagnetic hard-axis directions. Furthermore, the value of HE(φ) is well fitted by considering cos3φ/sin3φ terms with larger or comparable coefficients as compared to the first-order terms in the Fourier expansion. Finally, the microscopic spin configuration results evidence these phenomena originating from the tailoring of antiferromagnetic spins by simply rotating the field-cooling direction between antiferromagnetic easy- and hard-axis directions. We open an exchange-bias mode governed by antiferromagnetic fourfold anisotropy and propose a method to precisely detect antiferromagnetic higher-order anisotropies on an exchange-bias support.

Predictions of optimal heating by magnetic reversal behavior of magnetic nanowires (MNWs) with different materials

Objective Magnetic nanowires (MNWs) are potential candidates for heating in biomedical applications that require rapid and uniform heating rates, such as warming cryopreserved organs and hyperthermia treatment of cancer cells. Therefore, it is essential to determine which materials and geometries will provide the optimal heating using available alternating magnetic fields (AMF). Method Micromagnetic simulations are used to investigate the heating ability of MNWs by predicting their hysteretic behavior. MNWs composed of iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co) or permalloy (FeNi alloy, Py) with different diameters (10-200 nm) are simulated using object oriented micromagnetic framework (OOMMF). Results Hysteresis loops are obtained for each simulated MNW, and the 2D/3D magnetic moment map is simulated to show the reversal mechanism. The heating ability, in terms of specific loss power (SLP), is calculated from the area of the hysteresis loop times frequency for each MNW for comparison with others. Conclusion It is estimated that a theoretical optimal heating ability of 2730 W/g can be provided by isolated Co MNWs with 50 nm diameters using a typical AMF system that can supply 72 kA/m field amplitude and 50 kHz in frequency. Generalized correlation between coercivity and size/material of MNWs is provided as a guidance for researchers to choose the most appropriate MNW as a heater for their AMF system and vice versa.

Strain-Mediated Magnetization Switching Behavior in a Bicomponent Nanomagnet

The strain-mediated method is considered to be a promising solution for implementing energy-efficient magnetization rotation. However, current methods strictly require a voltage clock. Here, a multiferroic nanomagnet composed of bicomponent magnetic materials (Terfenol-D:$\mathrm{Ni}$ = 1:2) is developed to study strain-mediated magnetization switching behavior. With micromagnetic simulations, what is demonstrated is that the strict requirements for a precise applied voltage period can be overcome in such a bicomponent nanomagnet, where the threshold of the square-wave voltage pulse width required for complete and repeated magnetization reversal is only 0.42 ns if the amplitude of the voltage is 1 V. Besides deterministic magnetization switching, further study shows that the unique strain-mediated stochastic magnetization reversal behavior of the designed device can be used to mimic the biological neuron. With the application of the derived neural device parameters, a three-layer artificial neural network is further constructed to recognize a handwritten dataset, based on which, an accuracy of more than 98% can be achieved. Overall, these results open an intriguing way toward straintronic memory and neuromorphic systems.

Structural, magnetic and optical properties of disordered double perovskite Gd2CoCrO6 nanoparticles.

We have synthesized disordered double perovskite Gd2CoCrO6 (GCCO) nanoparticles with an average particle size of 71 ± 3 nm by adopting a citrate sol-gel method to investigate their structural, magnetic, and optical properties. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction pattern showed that GCCO is crystallized in a monoclinic structure with space group P21/n, which is further confirmed by Raman spectroscopic analysis. The absence of perfect long-range ordering between Co and Cr ions is confirmed by the mixed valence states of Co and Cr. A Néel transition was observed at a higher temperature of TN = 105 K compared to that of an analogous double perovskite Gd2FeCrO6 due to a greater degree of magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Co than Fe. Magnetization reversal (MR) behavior with a compensation temperature of Tcomp = 30 K was also observed. The hysteresis loop obtained at 5 K exhibited the presence of both ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) domains. Super-exchange and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interactions between various cations via oxygen ligands are responsible for the observed FM or AFM ordering in the system. Furthermore, UV-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy demonstrated the semiconducting nature of GCCO with a direct optical bandgap of 2.25 eV. The Mulliken electronegativity approach revealed the potential applicability of GCCO nanoparticles in photocatalytic H2 and O2 evolution from water. Due to a favorable bandgap and potentiality as a photocatalyst, GCCO can be a promising new member of double perovskite materials for photocatalytic and related solar energy applications.

Magneto-mechanical Effect of NiFe Thin Films Depending on the Intrinsic Magnetic Anisotropy

Verifying magnetic anisotropy is essential for developing flexible magnetic devices. The magneto-mechanical effect is a unique phenomenon in magnetic materials for bending geometries and produces the stress magnetic anisotropy depending on the stress direction and its magneto-striction coefficient. In addition, the fabrication process for the flexible magnetic devices, such as deposition, annealing, and patterning, significantly causes the intrinsic magnetic anisotropy to change the reversal behaviors in the devices. This study investigated the variation of the stress magnetic anisotropy in the flexible NiFe (permalloy) thin films as a function of the bending repetition and its direction when the thin films had a different easy axis caused by the sputtering process. The variation of the stress magnetic anisotropy was observed by the magnetization reversal behaviors and the typical ferromagnetic resonance field detection before and after the application of the tensile stress. The stress effect was exponentially accumulated with increasing bending repetition on the thin film in both samples. However, when the repeated stress was applied in alternating x- and y-directions, minor resonance field fluctuation was observed in the film, which had the tilted intrinsic magnetic anisotropy. This result indicated that intrinsic magnetic anisotropy during the fabrication process played an essential role in determining the amount of effective field for designing flexible magnetic devices.

Solid-State Dewetting as a Driving Force for Structural Transformation and Magnetization Reversal Mechanism in FePd Thin Films.

In this work, the process of solid-state dewetting in FePd thin films and its influence on structural transformation and magnetic properties is presented. The morphology, structure and magnetic properties of the FePd system subjected to annealing at 600 °C for different times were studied. The analysis showed a strong correlation between the dewetting process and various physical phenomena. In particular, the transition between the A1 phase and L10 phase is strongly influenced by and inextricably connected with solid-state dewetting. Major changes were observed when the film lost its continuity, including a fast growth of the L10 phase, changes in the magnetization reversal behavior or the induction of magnetic spring-like behavior.

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.

Inverse Magnetostrictive Effect in Ni<SUB>x</SUB>Fe<SUB>1-x</SUB> (1≤ x ≤0.8) Thin Films Deposited on a Polypropylene Substrate

The magnetostriction effect is a unique phenomenon observed in magnetic materials due to applied stress. The permeability μ of the magnetic material increases or decreases depending on the sign of the magnetostriction coefficient λ based on the direction of the applied stress. For example, nickel has a negative λ, whereas iron has a positive λ for the same tensile (+) or compressive (-) stresses. However, the magnetostriction effect is reported to disturb the functionality of some spintronic applications, such as magnetic sensors and actuators, under the influence of an external magnetic field. Therefore, suppression of the magnetostriction effect is a challenge in developing flexible spintronic devices. In this study, the magnetostriction effect of the NiSUBx/SUBFeSUB1-x/SUB thin films was investigated under different stress conditions. The composition of the thin film was manipulated by varying the deposition thickness of nickel and NiSUB8/SUBFe₂ targets using a co-sputtering system. Magnetization reversal behaviors of the NiSUBx/SUBFeSUB1-x/SUB thin films were observed under the influence of an external magnetic field by using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), before and after the application of bending stress. The negative magnetostriction effect of nickel was decreased by increasing the iron composition in the thin film, owing to the opposite sign of the magnetostriction coefficient. Finally, an extremely low magnetostriction was achieved at x = 0.8. The results of this study suggest that the magnetostriction effect can be controlled by varying the composition of the thin films and a sufficiently small magnetostriction effect can be observed at the permalloy composition between nickel and iron.

A study on the structural, optical, magnetization reversal and bipolar magnetic switching behavior of SmCr0.85Mn0.15O3 nanoparticles

SmCr0.85Mn0.15O3 (SCMO) nanoparticles with Pnma space group have been synthesized by the sol-gel auto-combustion method with an average crystallite size of 70 nm. The structural analysis indicates a comparable unit cell volume with that of the bulk compound. The structural distortion is calculated by various factors such as cell distortion factor, octahedral distortion, dodecahedral distortion, strain and tolerance factor, which arise due to the Jahn-Teller (JT) effect and a tilting in the octahedra. The obtained distortion values suggest a larger distortion in the structure due to the nano-size effect compared with the bulk counterpart. The diffuse reflectance spectrum confirms the semiconducting nature of SCMO nanoparticles with an optical bandgap of 2.9 eV, higher than that of the bulk compound. The extinction coefficient of the SCMO nanoparticles exhibits a larger value than that of the bulk, suggesting a higher absorbing character of the nanoparticles. The temperature-dependent magnetization reveals a decrease in the Néel temperature on Mn substitution. The negative magnetization is also observed below the compensation temperature, Tcomp. Moreover, a stable magnetic switching behavior is demonstrated by varying temperatures under ZFC and FC protocols. The semiconducting nature and the stable magnetic switching behavior of SCMO nanoparticles make them suitable for optoelectronic, photovoltaic, and magnetic switching applications.

Field-free spin-orbit torque-induced perpendicularmagnetization switching in YIG/Ta/CoTb/Pt

<p indent="0mm">Spin-orbit torques (SOTs) provide a physical basis for designing new spintronic memory and logic devices. The key to the application is the realization of field-free SOT-driven magnetization switching. In this study, Ta/CoTb/Pt ferromagnetic multilayers were grown on yttrium iron garnet (YIG) magnetic insulating film. We achieved current-induced CoTb magnetization switching under zero magnetic field by using the magnetic dipole interaction field generated by the YIG magnetic insulating layer applied to the CoTb film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and the spin torque generated from Ta and Pt spin source layers. Experimentally, we measured the magnetization reversal behavior induced by pulse current through anomalous Hall effect and anomalous Hall resistance and observed the magnetic domain wall motion characteristics driven by pulse current under the magneto-optical Kerr microscope. Moreover, due to the influence of the magneto-optical Kerr microscope, it was found that for YIG/Ta/CoTb/Pt devices, the magnetic domain of ferromagnetic CoTb moves and completes magnetization switching by forming stripe-like features, which is significantly different from the magnetization switching characteristics of the Si/Ta/CoTb/Pt film. Our results may provide a new degree of freedom for the potential application value of the research of spintronic low-power devices, particularly field-free SOT-driven switching-based devices.