scholarly journals Magnetic particle-antiparticle creation and annihilation

Author(s):  
Fengshan Zheng ◽  
Nikolai Kiselev ◽  
Luyan Yang ◽  
Vladyslav Kuchkin ◽  
Filipp Rybakov ◽  
...  

Abstract A fundamental property of particles and antiparticles, such as electrons and positrons, is their ability to annihilate one another. Similar behavior is predicted for magnetic solitons~\cite{Kovalev_90}-- localized spin textures that can be distinguished by their topological index Q.Theoretically, magnetic topological solitons with opposite values of Q, such as skyrmions~\cite{Bogdanov_89} and their antiparticles -- antiskyrmions -- are expected to be able to merge continuously and to annihilate~\cite{Kuchkin_20i}. However, experimental verification of such particle-antiparticle pair production and annihilation processes has been lacking. Here, we report the creation and annihilation of skyrmion-antiskyrmion pairs in an exceptionally thin film of the cubic chiral magnet B20-type FeGe observed using transmission electron microscopy. Our observations are highly reproducible and are fully consistent with micromagnetic simulations. Our findings provide a new platform for fundamental studies of particles and antiparticles based on magnetic solids and open new perspectives for practical applications of thin films of isotropic chiral magnets.

Author(s):  
T. P. Nolan

Thin film magnetic media are being used as low cost, high density forms of information storage. The development of this technology requires the study, at the sub-micron level, of morphological, crystallographic, and magnetic properties, throughout the depth of the deposited films. As the microstructure becomes increasingly fine, widi grain sizes approaching 100Å, the unique characterization capabilities of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have become indispensable to the analysis of such thin film magnetic media.Films were deposited at 225°C, on two NiP plated Al substrates, one polished, and one circumferentially textured with a mean roughness of 55Å. Three layers, a 750Å chromium underlayer, a 600Å layer of magnetic alloy of composition Co84Cr14Ta2, and a 300Å amorphous carbon overcoat were then sputter deposited using a dc magnetron system at a power of 1kW, in a chamber evacuated below 10-6 torr and filled to 12μm Ar pressure. The textured medium is presently used in industry owing to its high coercivity, Hc, and relatively low noise. One important feature is that the coercivity in the circumferential read/write direction is significandy higher than that in the radial direction.


Author(s):  
Robert M. Fisher

By 1940, a half dozen or so commercial or home-built transmission electron microscopes were in use for studies of the ultrastructure of matter. These operated at 30-60 kV and most pioneering microscopists were preoccupied with their search for electron transparent substrates to support dispersions of particulates or bacteria for TEM examination and did not contemplate studies of bulk materials. Metallurgist H. Mahl and other physical scientists, accustomed to examining etched, deformed or machined specimens by reflected light in the optical microscope, were also highly motivated to capitalize on the superior resolution of the electron microscope. Mahl originated several methods of preparing thin oxide or lacquer impressions of surfaces that were transparent in his 50 kV TEM. The utility of replication was recognized immediately and many variations on the theme, including two-step negative-positive replicas, soon appeared. Intense development of replica techniques slowed after 1955 but important advances still occur. The availability of 100 kV instruments, advent of thin film methods for metals and ceramics and microtoming of thin sections for biological specimens largely eliminated any need to resort to replicas.


Author(s):  
J. L. Lee ◽  
C. A. Weiss ◽  
R. A. Buhrman ◽  
J. Silcox

BaF2 thin films are being investigated as candidates for use in YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) / BaF2 thin film multilayer systems, given the favorable dielectric properties of BaF2. In this study, the microstructural and chemical compatibility of BaF2 thin films with YBCO thin films is examined using transmission electron microscopy and microanalysis. The specimen was prepared by using laser ablation to first deposit an approximately 2500 Å thick (0 0 1) YBCO thin film onto a (0 0 1) MgO substrate. An approximately 7500 Å thick (0 0 1) BaF2 thin film was subsequendy thermally evaporated onto the YBCO film.Images from a VG HB501A UHV scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) operating at 100 kV show that the thickness of the BaF2 film is rather uniform, with the BaF2/YBCO interface being quite flat. Relatively few intrinsic defects, such as hillocks and depressions, were evident in the BaF2 film. Moreover, the hillocks and depressions appear to be faceted along {111} planes, suggesting that the surface is smooth and well-ordered on an atomic scale and that an island growth mechanism is involved in the evolution of the BaF2 film.


2003 ◽  
Vol 775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghai Wang ◽  
David T. Johnson ◽  
Byron F. McCaughey ◽  
J. Eric Hampsey ◽  
Jibao He ◽  
...  

AbstractPalladium nanowires have been electrodeposited into mesoporous silica thin film templates. Palladium continually grows and fills silica mesopores starting from a bottom conductive substrate, providing a ready and efficient route to fabricate a macroscopic palladium nanowire thin films for potentially use in fuel cells, electrodes, sensors, and other applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicate it is possible to create different nanowire morphology such as bundles and swirling mesostructure based on the template pore structure.


1993 ◽  
Vol 311 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.W. Hsieh ◽  
J.J. Lin ◽  
M.M. Wang ◽  
L.L. Chen

ABSTRACTSimultaneous occurrence of multiphases was observed in the interfacial reactions of ultrahigh vacuum deposited Ti, Hf and Cr thin films on (111)Si by high resolution transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with fast Fourier transform diffraction analysis and image simulation. For the three systems, an amorphous interlayer as well as a number of crystalline phase were found to form simultaneously in the early stages of interfacial reactions. The formation of multiphases appeared to be quite general in the initial stages of interfacial reactions of UHV deposited refractory thin films. The results called for a reexamination of generally accepted “difference” in reaction sequence between bulk and thin film couples.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 7404-7409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aihua Jing ◽  
Gaofeng Liang ◽  
Hao Shi ◽  
Yixin Yuan ◽  
Quanxing Zhan ◽  
...  

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene with high specific surface area, excellent conductivity and designed porosity is essential for many practical applications. Herein, holey graphene oxide with nano pores was facilely prepared via a convenient mild defect-etching reaction and then fabricated to 3D nanostructures via a reduction method. Based on the 3D architectures, a novel enzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor was successfully fabricated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the 3D holey graphene oxide architectures (3DHGO). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to evaluate the electrochemical performance of 3DHGO at glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Excellent electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H2O2 was observed, and a linear range of 5.0×10-8~5.0×10-5 M with a detection limit of 3.8×10-9 M was obtained. These results indicated that 3DHGO have potential as electrochemical biosensors.


1996 ◽  
Vol 452 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Klement ◽  
D. Horst ◽  
F. Ernst

AbstractThe objective of this work is to find a material to replace amorphous hydrogenated silicon used as photosensitive part in the “retina” of an “electronic eye”. For that reason, ZnS, ZnSe, CdS and CdSe were chosen for investigations. Thin films, prepared by chemical vapour deposition, were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The observed microstructures were correlated with the optoelectronic properties of these materials. CdSe was found to be the most promising material for our application. Hence, the influence of a dielectric interlayer and the effects of additional annealing treatments were analyzed for CdSe and will be discussed with respect to the optimization of the material.


2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lana T. Huynh ◽  
Stephanie N. Bonvicini ◽  
Arthur C. Pinon ◽  
Simon Trudel

Non-stoichiometric Co2FeAl nanoparticles are formed by the in-solution thermal decomposition of the corresponding metal acetylacetonate complexes in the presence of capping ligands followed by reduction of the obtained material under an H2-containing atmosphere. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that sub-100 nm nanoparticles are obtained, with reasonable size control. Magnetic measurements indicate that the saturation magnetization, Bloch behavior, magnetization reversal, spin-wave stiffness, and exchange stiffness are all comparable to those observed for bulk and thin-film Co2FeAl, indicating that these nanomaterials are promising for use in nanoparticle-based spintronic devices.


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