Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to N’Diaye, Alpha T..
For the spin crossover coordination polymer [Fe(L1)(bipy)] n (where L1 is a N 2 O 2 2− coordinating Schiff base-like ligand bearing a phenazine fluorophore and bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine), there is compelling additional evidence of a spin state transition.
Structural and chemical order impact magnetic properties of solids, which are governed by spin–orbit coupling and exchange interaction. The ordered L1 0 phase of FePt is a key material to heat-assisted magnetic recording; to enable high storage density, a solid understanding is needed of structural and chemical disorder at small length scales, as well as associated modifications of the electronic band structure. Here, we investigate the effect of boron and copper additions (≲6 mol% Cu) on structural and magnetic properties of L1 0 FePt granular media. Two copper-driven mechanisms, although competing, can lead to improvements in both structural and magnetic properties. In particular, the Cu substitution on the Fe-site leads to a degradation of magnetic properties due to the delocalized electron orbitals originating from a larger Cu d -orbital occupancy. At the same time, Cu substitution leads to an enhanced crystallographic order and consequently magneto-crystalline anisotropy, which offsets the former effect to a large extent. Our study is based on magnetometry, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, ab-initio calculations and a phenomenological theory of disordered FePt granular media. We do not observe a sizable modification to Fe moments and electronic configuration; Cu reveals two different resonances associated with the presence and absence of Cu–B bonds that vary with total Cu concentration.
The La 0.7 Sr 0.3 CoO 3–δ /La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3–δ (LSCO/LSMO) bilayer system is an ideal perovskite oxide platform for investigating interface reconstruction and its effect on their magnetic properties. Previous studies have shown that LSCO can separate into magnetic sublayers, which possess distinct trends as the total LSCO thickness increases. Here, we used polarized neutron reflectometry to quantify changes in the magnetic and chemical depth profiles, and it confirms the formation of ~12 Å-thick interfacial LSCO and LSMO layers, characterized by a decreased nuclear scattering length density compared to the bulk of the layers. This decrease is attributed to the combined effects of oxygen vacancy formation and interfacial charge transfer, which lead to magnetically active Co 2+ ions with ionic radii larger than the Co 3+ /Co 4+ ions typically found in bulk LSCO or single-layer films. The interfacial magnetization values, as well as Co 2+ ion and oxygen vacancy concentrations, depend strongly on the LSCO layer thickness. These results highlight the sensitive interplay of the cation valence states, oxygen vacancy concentration, and magnetization at interfaces in perovskite oxide multilayers, demonstrating the potential to tune their functional properties via careful design of their structure.
Using a combination of hysteresis loop, Kerr microscope, and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements, in this study we investigated the antiferromagnetic (AFM) domain switching process modulated by the sub-nm thick Co inserting layer in a single crystalline Fe/Co/CoO/MgO(001). The CoO AFM domain switching occurs at lower temperature for the thicker Co interlayer, and the activation energy barrier of CoO AFM domain switching decreases as the Co interlayer thickness increases. The exchange coupling strength between the AFM spins in CoO layer and the ferromagnetic spins in the Fe/Co bilayer is found to be independent of the Co layer thickness. Our results suggest an approach to modulate the dynamic properties of AFM domains with an interfacial modification.
We report a spin-rectification effect in a spin-valve structure consisting of ferroelectric croconic acid (C 5 H 2 O 5 ) sandwiched between ferromagnetic electrodes La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 and Co, which can be switched between a high-resistance (off ) and a low-resistance (on) state by a poling voltage. In the off state, the magnetoresistance (MR) sign reverses with the measurement voltage with a 0.1-V offset, suggesting a spin-rectification behavior, while in the on state the MR remains negative. These observations can be understood in terms of electrically controlled interfacial energy-band alignment either from the electrostatic effect or from the interfacial redox process. In conclusion, the observed spin-rectification effect suggests thepossibility of diodelike devices for spin-polarized current.
Epitaxial strain provides important pathways to control the magnetic and electronic states in transition-metal oxides. However, the large strain is usually accompanied by a strong reduction of the oxygen-vacancy formation energy, which hinders the direct manipulation of their intrinsic properties. Here, using a postdeposition ozone annealing method, we obtain a series of oxygen stoichiometric SrCoO 3 thin films with the tensile strain up to 3.0%. We observe a robust ferromagnetic ground state in all strained thin films, while interestingly the tensile strain triggers a distinct metal-to-insulator transition along with the increase of the tensile strain. The persistent ferromagnetic state across the electrical transition therefore suggests that the magnetic state is directly correlated with the localized electrons, rather than the itinerant ones, which then calls for further investigation of the intrinsic mechanism of this magnetic compound beyond the double-exchange mechanism.
Although XFMR experiments have been carried out at a number of synchrotron radiation facilities since 2004, only a few facilities currently have XFMR setups available for user operation. Here in this review, we mainly focus on recent developments and work that has been carried out using time-resolved XFMR at beamline 4.0.2 of the Advanced Light Source and at beamline I10 of the Diamond Light Source. The experimental setup and the sample holder used at beamline I10 and beamline 4.0.2, respectively, are shown in Figure 1. We will first introduce the working principle of XFMR and then provide examples of the capabilities of this technique. Finally, we will briefly describe an outlook for the future development of and new opportunities for XFMR.
Electric fields can transform materials with respect to their structure and properties, enabling various applications ranging from batteries to spintronics. Recently electrolytic gating, which can generate large electric fields and voltage-driven ion transfer, has been identified as a powerful means to achieve electric-field-controlled phase transformations. The class of transition metal oxides provide many potential candidates that present a strong response under electrolytic gating. However, very few show a reversible structural transformation at room-temperature. Here, we report the realization of a digitally synthesized transition metal oxide that shows a reversible, electric-field-controlled transformation between distinct crystalline phases at room-temperature. In superlattices comprised of alternating one-unit-cell of SrIrO 3 and La 0.2 Sr 0.8 MnO 3 , we find a reversible phase transformation with a 7% lattice change and dramatic modulation in chemical, electronic, magnetic and optical properties, mediated by the reversible transfer of oxygen and hydrogen ions. Strikingly, this phase transformation is absent in the constituent oxides, solid solutions and larger period superlattices. Our findings open up this class of materials for voltage-controlled functionality.
It has been brought to our attention that a mistake exists in the author list. The author “Johnson Goh” in the original article should be “Kuan Eng Johnson Goh”. His primary corresponding email is kejgoh@yahoo.com.