Engineering topics

Liyanage, W. L. N. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Liyanage, W. L. N. C..

5 records

DOE OSTI2024

Above room temperature multiferroic and magnetoelectric properties of (1‐Φ) PZTFT‐Φ CZFMO particulate composites

Magnetoelectric (ME) composites of suitable ferroelectric and magnetic materials can display elevated magnetic and ferroelectric operational temperatures, along with substantial ME coupling, compared to conventional single-phase multiferroics. Herein, we describe the synthesis of (1-Φ) PZTFT-Φ CZFMO, Φ = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 (PZTFT: [0.6(PbZr 0.53 Ti 0.47 O 3 )–0.4(PbFe 0.5 Ta 0.5 )O 3 ] CZFMO: Co 0.6 Zn 0.4 Fe 1.7 Mn 0.3 O 4 )] particulate (0–3) composites and report on the magnetic as well as ferroelectric phase transitions and magnetoelectric coupling. The phase formation and the induced strain in these composites are investigated via Raman spectroscopy. A large bifurcation of the zero-field cooled-field cooled magnetization curves confirms the highly anisotropic behavior of the composites. These curves also identify spin glass behavior in the CZFMO phase at ≈230 K. The magnetic phase transition of the composite (Φ = 0.2) is reported to be ≈532 (± 10) K. The temperature dependent dielectric data displays the ferroelectric phase transitions from the PZTFT phase and the broad relaxation peak from the CZFMO phase. The quadratic relationship between the magneto-capacitance and the magnetization confirms the existence of biquadratic magnetoelectric coupling in the systems. The collective results are consistent with the presence of a direct magneto-electric effect in the composites, i.e., by the application of magnetic field, the magnetic phase is strained, and this induced strain is responsible for changes of ferroelectric order parameter in the piezoelectric phase. As a result, this attribute makes the current composite structure a promising candidate for multiferroic data storage and processing technologies.

Bhoi, Krishnamayee↗

DOE OSTI2024

Skyrmion lattice formation and destruction mechanisms probed with TR-SANS

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected, nanoscale whirls of the spin configuration that tend to form hexagonally ordered arrays. As a topologically non-trivial structure, the nucleation and annihilation of the skyrmion, as well as the interaction between skyrmions, varies from conventional magnetic systems. Recent works have suggested that the ordering kinetics in these materials occur over millisecond or longer timescales, which is unusually slow for magnetic dynamics. The current work investigates the skyrmion ordering kinetics, particularly during lattice formation and destruction, using time-resolved small angle neutron scattering (TR-SANS). Evaluating the time-resolved structure and intensity of the neutron diffraction pattern reveals the evolving real-space structure of the skyrmion lattice and the timeframe of the formation. Measurements were performed on three prototypical skyrmion materials: MnSi, (Fe,Co)Si, and Cu 2 OSeO 3 . To probe lattice formation and destruction kinetics, the systems were prepared in the stable skyrmion state, and then a square-wave magnetic field modulation was applied. The measurements show that the skyrmions quickly form ordered domains, with a significant distribution in lattice parameters, which then converge to the final structure; the results confirm the slow kinetics, with formation times between 10 ms and 99 ms. Comparisons are made between the measured formation times and the fundamental material properties, suggesting the ordering temperature, saturation magnetization and magnetocrystalline anisotropy may be driving the timeframes. Micromagnetic simulations were also performed and support a scaling of the kinetics with sample volume, a behavior which is caused by the reconciling of misaligned domains.

Liyanage, W. L. N. C.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Three-dimensional structure of hybrid magnetic skyrmions determined by neutron scattering

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected chiral spin textures which present opportunities for next-generation magnetic data storage and logic information technologies. The topology of these structures originates in the geometric configuration of the magnetic spins, more generally described as the structure. While the skyrmion structure is most often depicted using a two-dimensional projection of the three-dimensional (3D) structure, recent works have emphasized the role of all three dimensions in determining the topology and their response to external stimuli. Here, grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering and polarized neutron reflectometry are used to determine the 3D structure of hybrid skyrmions. The structure of the hybrid skyrmions, which includes a combination of Néel-like and Bloch-like components along their length, is expected to significantly contribute to their notable stability, which includes ambient conditions. To interpret the neutron scattering data, micromagnetic simulations of the hybrid skyrmions were performed, and the corresponding diffraction patterns were determined using a Born approximation transformation. The converged magnetic profile reveals the magnetic structure along with the skyrmion depth profile, including the thickness of the Bloch and Néel segments and the diameter of the core.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2023

Skyrmion‐Excited Spin‐Wave Fractal Networks

Magnetic skyrmions exhibit unique, technologically relevant pseudo-particle behaviors which arise from their topological protection, including well-defined, 3D dynamic modes that occur at microwave frequencies. During dynamic excitation, spin waves are ejected into the interstitial regions between skyrmions, creating the magnetic equivalent of a turbulent sea. However, since the spin waves in these systems have a well-defined length scale, and the skyrmions are on an ordered lattice, ordered structures from spin-wave interference can precipitate from the chaos. This work uses small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to capture the dynamics in hybrid skyrmions and investigate the spin-wave structure. Performing simultaneous ferromagnetic resonance and SANS, the diffraction pattern shows a large increase in low-angle scattering intensity, which is present only in the resonance condition. This scattering pattern is best fit using a mass fractal model, which suggests the spin waves form a long-range fractal network. The fractal structure is constructed of fundamental units with a size that encodes the spin-wave emissions and are constrained by the skyrmion lattice. Furthermore, these results offer critical insights into the nanoscale dynamics of skyrmions, identify a new dynamic spin-wave fractal structure, and demonstrate SANS as a unique tool to probe high-speed dynamics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Using methodical compositional tuning to optimize Co x Tb 1− x structural and magnetic properties

The Co-rich end of the Co–Tb binary phase diagram (Co x Tb 1−x , x = 0.66–0.82) has been investigated to understand the phases which form in the bulk and how they interact to yield magnetic behavior which has been reported to be ideal for use in spintronic devices. Here, this work shows that the phases and phase fractions present across this composition range follow those predicted by the binary phase diagram, and all compounds in this composition range are multiphase. Magnetic measurements show similar behavior in this composition range to related thin film work, and we attribute the observed behavior to the respective binary phases present in each compound. Ideal magnetic behavior of minimized magnetic saturation and maximized coercivity is observed in the range of x= 0.78 − 0.80 related to the majority phase Co 7 Tb 2 in these two compounds. High pressure magnetic measurements show magnetic saturation and coercivity at 300 K change little with respect to external pressure. The extension of the synthesis of these binaries into the bulk allows for specific binary phases to be targeted and analyzed for consideration in future devices.

Crystal structure↗