Tuning the Magnetic Domain Structure of Spin-polarized Complex Oxide Nanostructures

AbstractTo successfully incorporate the highly spin-polarized material La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) into spin-based electronic devices it is essential to be able to control and tune the magnetic domain structure. In this work, we geometrically confine epitaxial thin films of LSMO into hexagons to examine the effect of magnetostatic and magnetic anisotropy energies on the domain formation. We find through careful choice of hexagon aspect ratio, crystalline direction, and substrate orientation, we can tune the magnetic domain formation to be single, two, six (flux closure), or other domain configurations.

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Magnetic domain structure of Fe-C/Ni-Fe multilayers with insertion of magnetic-decoupling BN layers, observed by spin-polarized SEM

Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials ◽

10.1016/0304-8853(94)90443-x ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 136 (1-2) ◽

pp. 38-44

Author(s):

K. Yamamoto ◽

T. Kobayashi ◽

M. Kitada ◽

H. Matsuyama

Keyword(s):

Domain Structure ◽

Magnetic Domain ◽

Magnetic Domain Structure ◽

Spin Polarized ◽

Magnetic Decoupling

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Magnetic domain structure of a La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (001) surface observed by a spin-polarized scanning electron microscope

Applied Physics Letters ◽

10.1063/1.1690463 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 84 (13) ◽

pp. 2361-2363 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

M. Konoto ◽

T. Kohashi ◽

K. Koike ◽

T. Arima ◽

Y. Kaneko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

Scanning Electron Microscope ◽

Domain Structure ◽

Magnetic Domain ◽

Magnetic Domain Structure ◽

Spin Polarized ◽

Scanning Electron

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Domains and domain nucleation in magnetron-sputtered CoCr thin films

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100151064 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 1046-1047

Author(s):

B. G. Demczyk

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Domain Structure ◽

Magnetic Domain ◽

Domain Size ◽

Film Plane ◽

Magnetic Domain Structure ◽

Perpendicular Magnetization ◽

Columnar Grains ◽

Reversal Mechanism ◽

Lorentz Transmission Electron Microscopy

CoCr thin films have been of interest for a number of years due to their strong perpendicular anisotropy, favoring magnetization normal to the film plane. The microstructure and magnetic properties of CoCr films prepared by both rf and magnetron sputtering have been examined in detail. By comparison, however, relatively few systematic studies of the magnetic domain structure and its relation to the observed film microstructure have been reported. In addition, questions still remain as to the operative magnetization reversal mechanism in different film thickness regimes. In this work, the magnetic domain structure in magnetron sputtered Co-22 at.%Cr thin films of known microstructure were examined by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, domain nucleation studies were undertaken via in-situ heating experiments.It was found that the 50 nm thick films, which are comprised of columnar grains, display a “dot” type domain configuration (Figure 1d), characteristic of a perpendicular magnetization. The domain size was found to be on the order of a few structural columns in diameter.

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