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Fischer, Peter

Publications and source records attributed to Fischer, Peter.

At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Spin-orbit torque-driven skyrmion dynamics revealed by time-resolved X-ray microscopy

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin textures with attractive properties suitable for high-density and low-power spintronic device applications. Much effort has been dedicated to understanding the dynamical behaviours of the magnetic skyrmions. However, experimental observation of the ultrafast dynamics of this chiral magnetic texture in real space, which is the hallmark of its quasiparticle nature, has so far remained elusive. Here, we report nanosecond-dynamics of a 100nm-diameter magnetic skyrmion during a current pulse application, using a time-resolved pump-probe soft X-ray imaging technique. We demonstrate that distinct dynamic excitation states of magnetic skyrmions, triggered by current-induced spin-orbit torques, can be reliably tuned by changing the magnitude of spin-orbit torques. Our findings show that the dynamics of magnetic skyrmions can be controlled by the spin-orbit torque on the nanosecond time scale, which points to exciting opportunities for ultrafast and novel skyrmionic appl ications in the future.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Simultaneous control of magnetic topologies for reconfigurable vortex arrays

The topological spin textures in magnetic vortices in confined magnetic elements offer a platform for understanding the fundamental physics of nanoscale spin behavior and the potential of harnessing their unique spin structures for advanced magnetic technologies. For magnetic vortices to be practical, an effective reconfigurability of the two topologies of magnetic vortices, that is, the circularity and the polarity, is an essential prerequisite. The reconfiguration issue is highly relevant to the question of whether both circularity and polarity are reliably and efficiently controllable. In this work, we report the first direct observation of simultaneous control of both circularity and polarity by the sole application of an in-plane magnetic field to arrays of asymmetrically shaped permalloy disks. Our investigation demonstrates that a high degree of reliability for control of both topologies can be achieved by tailoring the geometry of the disk arrays. We also propose a new approach to control the vortex structures by manipulating the effect of the stray field on the dynamics of vortex creation. The current study is expected to facilitate complete and effective reconfiguration of magnetic vortex structures, thereby enhancing the prospects for technological applications of magnetic vortices.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Magnetism in curved geometries

Extending planar two-dimensional structures into the three-dimensional space has become a general trend in multiple disciplines, including electronics, photonics, plasmonics and magnetics. This approach provides means to modify conventional or to launch novel functionalities by tailoring the geometry of an object, e.g. its local curvature. In a generic electronic system, curvature results in the appearance of scalar and vector geometric potentials inducing anisotropic and chiral effects. In the specific case of magnetism, even in the simplest case of a curved anisotropic Heisenberg magnet, the curvilinear geometry manifests two exchange-driven interactions, namely effective anisotropy and antisymmetric exchange, i.e. Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya-like interaction. As a consequence, a family of novel curvature-driven effects emerges, which includes magnetochiral effects and topologically induced magnetization patterning, resulting in theoretically predicted unlimited domain wall velocities, chirality symmetry breaking and Cherenkov-like effects for magnons. The broad range of altered physical properties makes these curved architectures appealing in view of fundamental research on e.g. skyrmionic systems, magnonic crystals or exotic spin configurations. In addition to these rich physics, the application potential of three-dimensionally shaped objects is currently being explored as magnetic field sensorics for magnetofluidic applications, spin-wave filters, advanced magneto-encephalography devices for diagnosis of epilepsy or for energy-efficient racetrack memory devices. Finally, these recent developments ranging from theoretical predictions over fabrication of three-dimensionally curved magnetic thin films, hollow cylinders or wires, to their characterization using integral means as well as the development of advanced tomography approaches are in the focus of this review.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Observation of room-temperature magnetic skyrmions and their current-driven dynamics in ultrathin metallic ferromagnets

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin textures that exhibit fascinating physical behaviours and large potential in highly energy-efficient spintronic device applications. The main obstacles so far are that skyrmions have been observed in only a few exotic materials and at low temperatures, and fast current-driven motion of individual skyrmions has not yet been achieved. Here, we report the observation of stable magnetic skyrmions at room temperature in ultrathin transition metal ferromagnets with magnetic transmission soft X-ray microscopy. We demonstrate the ability to generate stable skyrmion lattices and drive trains of individual skyrmions by short current pulses along a magnetic racetrack at speeds exceeding 100 m s -1 as required for applications. Our findings provide experimental evidence of recent predictions and open the door to room-temperature skyrmion spintronics in robust thin-film heterostructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Realization of ground-state artificial skyrmion lattices at room temperature

We report that the topological nature of magnetic skyrmions leads to extraordinary properties that provide new insights into fundamental problems of magnetism and exciting potentials for novel magnetic technologies. Prerequisite are systems exhibiting skyrmion lattices at ambient conditions, which have been elusive so far. We demonstrate the realization of artificial Bloch skyrmion lattices over extended areas in their ground state at room temperature by patterning asymmetric magnetic nanodots with controlled circularity on an underlayer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). Polarity is controlled by a tailored magnetic field sequence and demonstrated in magnetometry measurements. The vortex structure is imprinted from the dots into the interfacial region of the underlayer via suppression of the PMA by a critical ion-irradiation step. In conclusion, the imprinted skyrmion lattices are identified directly with polarized neutron reflectometry and confirmed by magnetoresistance measurements. Our results demonstrate an exciting platform to explore room-temperature ground-state skyrmion lattices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Magnetization dynamics of imprinted non-collinear spin textures

We study the magnetization dynamics of non-collinear spin textures realized via imprint of the magnetic vortex state in soft permalloy into magnetically hard out-of-plane magnetized Co/Pd nanopatterned heterostructures. Tuning the interlayer exchange coupling between soft- and hard-magnetic subsystems provides means to tailor the magnetic state in the Co/Pd stack from being vortex- to donut-like with different core sizes. While the imprinted vortex spin texture leads to the dynamics similar to the one observed for vortices in permalloy disks, the donut-like state causes the appearance of two gyrofrequencies characteristic of the early and later stages of the magnetization dynamics. The dynamics are described using the Thiele equation supported by the full scale micromagnetic simulations by taking into account an enlarged core size of the donut states compared to magnetic vortices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Temperature and magnetic-field driven dynamics in artificial magnetic square ice

Artificial spin ices are often spoken of as being realisations of some of the celebrated vertex models of statistical mechanics, where the exact microstate of the system can be imaged using advanced magnetic microscopy methods. The fact that a stable image can be formed means that the system is in fact athermal and not undergoing the usual finite-temperature fluctuations of a statistical mechanical system. In this paper we report on the preparation of artificial spin ices with islands that are thermally fluctuating due to their very small size. The relaxation rate of these islands was determined using variable frequency focused magneto-optic Kerr measurements. We performed magnetic imaging of artificial spin ice under varied temperature and magnetic field using X-ray transmission microscopy which uses X-ray magnetic circular dichroism to generate magnetic contrast. Furthermore, we have developed an on-membrane heater in order to apply temperatures in excess of 700 K and have shown increased dynamics due to higher temperature. Due to the ‘photon-in, photon-out' method employed here, it is the first report where it is possible to image the microstates of an ASI system under the simultaneous application of temperature and magnetic field, enabling the determination of relaxation rates, coercivties, and the analysis of vertex population during reversal.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Retrieving spin textures on curved magnetic thin films with full-field soft X-ray microscopies

X-ray tomography is a well-established technique to characterize 3D structures in material sciences and biology; its magnetic analogue—magnetic X-ray tomography—is yet to be developed. We demonstrate the visualization and reconstruction of magnetic domain structures in a 3D curved magnetic thin films with tubular shape by means of full-field soft X-ray microscopies. In the 3D arrangement of the magnetization is retrieved from a set of 2D projections by analysing the evolution of the magnetic contrast with varying projection angle. By using reconstruction algorithms to analyse the angular evolution of 2D projections provides quantitative information about domain patterns and magnetic coupling phenomena between windings of azimuthally and radially magnetized tubular objects. In conclusion, the present approach represents a first milestone towards visualizing magnetization textures of 3D curved thin films with virtually arbitrary shape.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Quantitative x-ray magnetic circular dichroism mapping with high spatial resolution full-field magnetic transmission soft x-ray spectro-microscopy

The spectroscopic analysis of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), which serves as strong and element-specific magnetic contrast in full-field magnetic transmission soft x-ray microscopy, is shown to provide information on the local distribution of spin (S) and orbital (L) magnetic moments down to a spatial resolution of 25 nm limited by the x-ray optics used in the x-ray microscope. The spatially resolved L/S ratio observed in a multilayered (Co 0.3 nm/Pt 0.5 nm) × 30 thin film exhibiting a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy decreases significantly in the vicinity of domain walls, indicating a non-uniform spin configuration in the vertical profile of a domain wall across the thin film. Quantitative XMCD mapping with x-ray spectro-microscopy will become an important characterization tool for systems with topological or engineered magnetization inhomogeneities.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Sub-nanosecond signal propagation in anisotropy-engineered nanomagnetic logic chains

Energy efficient nanomagnetic logic (NML) computing architectures propagate binary information by relying on dipolar field coupling to reorient closely spaced nanoscale magnets. In the past, signal propagation in nanomagnet chains were characterized by static magnetic imaging experiments; however, the mechanisms that determine the final state and their reproducibility over millions of cycles in high-speed operation have yet to be experimentally investigated. Here we present a study of NML operation in a high-speed regime. We perform direct imaging of digital signal propagation in permalloy nanomagnet chains with varying degrees of shape-engineered biaxial anisotropy using full-field magnetic X-ray transmission microscopy and time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy after applying nanosecond magnetic field pulses. Moreover, an intrinsic switching time of 100 ps per magnet is observed. In conclusion these experiments, and accompanying macrospin and micromagnetic simulations, reveal the underlying physics of NML architectures repetitively operated on nanosecond timescales and identify relevant engineering parameters to optimize performance and reliability.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2015

Manipulating topological states by imprinting non-collinear spin textures

Topological magnetic states, such as chiral skyrmions, are of great scientific interest and show huge potential for novel spintronics applications, provided their topological charges can be fully controlled. So far skyrmionic textures have been observed in noncentrosymmetric crystalline materials with low symmetry and at low temperatures. We propose theoretically and demonstrate experimentally the design of spin textures with topological charge densities that can be tailored at ambient temperatures. Tuning the interlayer coupling in vertically stacked nanopatterned magnetic heterostructures, such as a model system of a Co/Pd multilayer coupled to Permalloy, the in-plane non-collinear spin texture of one layer can be imprinted into the out-of-plane magnetised material. We observe distinct spin textures, e.g. vortices, magnetic swirls with tunable opening angle, donut states and skyrmion core configurations. We show that applying a small magnetic field, a reliable switching between topologically distinct textures can be achieved at remanence

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Frontiers in imaging magnetism with polarized x-rays

Although magnetic imaging with polarized x-rays is a rather young scientific discipline, the various types of established x-ray microscopes have already taken an important role in state-of-the-art characterization of the properties and behavior of spin textures in advanced materials. Furthermore, the opportunities ahead will be to obtain in a unique way indispensable multidimensional information of the structure, dynamics and composition of scientifically interesting and technologically relevant magnetic materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Stochastic formation of magnetic vortex structures in asymmetric disks triggered by chaotic dynamics

The non-trivial spin configuration in a magnetic vortex is a prototype for fundamental studies of nanoscale spin behaviour with potential applications in magnetic information technologies. Arrays of magnetic vortices interfacing with perpendicular thin films have recently been proposed as enabler for skyrmionic structures at room temperature, which has opened exciting perspectives on practical applications of skyrmions. An important milestone for achieving not only such skyrmion materials but also general applications of magnetic vortices is a reliable control of vortex structures. However, controlling magnetic processes is hampered by stochastic behaviour, which is associated with thermal fluctuations in general. Here we show that the dynamics in the initial stages of vortex formation on an ultrafast timescale plays a dominating role for the stochastic behaviour observed at steady state. Our results show that the intrinsic stochastic nature of vortex creation can be controlled by adjusting the interdisk distance in asymmetric disk arrays.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

On the appearance of vorticity and gradient shear bands in wormlike micellar solutions of different CPCl/salt systems

Wormlike micellar salt/surfactant solutions (X-salicylate, cetylpyridinium chloride) are studied with respect to the applied shear stress, concentration, temperature, and composition of the counterions (X = lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) of the salicylate salt solute to determine vorticity and gradient shear bands. A combination of rheological measurements, laser technique, video analysis, and rheo-small-angle neutron scattering allow for a detailed exploration of number and types of shear bands. Typical flow curves of the solutions show Newtonian, shear-thinning, and shear-thickening flow behavior. In the shear-thickening regime, the solutions show vorticity and gradient shear bands simultaneously, in which vorticity shear bands dominate the visual effect, while gradient shear bands always coexist and predominate the rheological response. It is shown that gradient shear bands change their phases (turbid, clear) with the same frequency as the shear rate oscillates, whereas vorticity shear bands change their phases with half the frequency of the shear rate. Furthermore, we show that with increasing molecular mass of the counterions the number of gradient shear bands increases, while the number of vorticity shear bands remains constant. The variation of temperature, shear stress, concentration, and counterions results in a predictable change in the rheological behavior and therefore allows adjustment of the number of vorticity shear bands in the shear band regime.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

CONRAD—A software framework for cone-beam imaging in radiology

Purpose: In the community of x-ray imaging, there is a multitude of tools and applications that are used in scientific practice. Many of these tools are proprietary and can only be used within a certain lab. Often the same algorithm is implemented multiple times by different groups in order to enable comparison. In an effort to tackle this problem, the authors created CONRAD, a software framework that provides many of the tools that are required to simulate basic processes in x-ray imaging and perform image reconstruction with consideration of nonlinear physical effects.Methods: CONRAD is a Java-based state-of-the-art software platform with extensive documentation. It is based on platform-independent technologies. Special libraries offer access to hardware acceleration such as OpenCL. There is an easy-to-use interface for parallel processing. The software package includes different simulation tools that are able to generate up to 4D projection and volume data and respective vector motion fields. Well known reconstruction algorithms such as FBP, DBP, and ART are included. All algorithms in the package are referenced to a scientific source.Results: A total of 13 different phantoms and 30 processing steps have already been integrated into the platform at the time of writing. The platform comprises 74.000 nonblank lines of code out of which 19% are used for documentation. The software package is available for download at http://conrad.stanford.edu. To demonstrate the use of the package, the authors reconstructed images from two different scanners, a table top system and a clinical C-arm system. Runtimes were evaluated using the RabbitCT platform and demonstrate state-of-the-art runtimes with 2.5 s for the 256 problem size and 12.4 s for the 512 problem size.Conclusions: As a common software framework, CONRAD enables the medical physics community to share algorithms and develop new ideas. In particular this offers new opportunities for scientific collaboration and quantitative performance comparison between the methods of different groups.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Wave modes of collective vortex gyration in dipolar-coupled-dot-array magnonic crystals

Lattice vibration modes are collective excitations in periodic arrays of atoms or molecules. These modes determine novel transport properties in solid crystals. Analogously, in periodical arrangements of magnetic vortex-state disks, collective vortex motions have been predicted. Here, we experimentally observe wave modes of collective vortex gyration in one-dimensional (1D) periodic arrays of magnetic disks using time-resolved scanning transmission x-ray microscopy. The observed modes are interpreted based on micromagnetic simulation and numerical calculation of coupled Thiele equations. Dispersion of the modes is found to be strongly affected by both vortex polarization and chirality ordering, as revealed by the explicit analytical form of 1D infinite arrays. A thorough understanding thereof is fundamental both for lattice vibrations and vortex dynamics, which we demonstrate for 1D magnonic crystals. Such magnetic disk arrays with vortex-state ordering, referred to as magnetic metastructure, offer potential implementation into information processing devices.

FERROMAGNETISM↗
DOE OSTI2013

Tuning of the nucleation field in nanowires with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

We report on domain nucleation in nanowires consisting of Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy that are patterned by electron-beam lithography, sputter deposition, and lift-off processing. It is found that the nucleation field can be tuned by changing the geometry of the wire ends. A reduction of the nucleation field by up to 60% is achieved when the wire ends are designed as tips. This contrasts with the behavior of wires with in-plane anisotropy where the nucleation field increases when triangular-pointed ends are used. In order to clarify the origin of the reduction of the nucleation field, micromagnetic simulations are employed. The effect cannot be explained by the lateral geometrical variation but is attributable to a local reduction of the perpendicular anisotropy caused by shadowing effects due to the resist mask during sputter deposition of the multilayer.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗