Introducing artificial length scales to tailor magnetic properties


Introducing artificial length scales to tailor magnetic properties

Fassbender, J.; Strache, T.; Liedke, M. O.; Marko, D.; Wintz, S.; Lenz, K.; Keller, A.; Facsko, S.; Mönch, I.; McCord, J.

Magnetism is a collective phenomena. Hence, a local variation on the nanoscale of material properties which act on the magnetic properties affect the overall magnetism in an intriguing way. In particular important are the length scales on which a material property changes. These might be related to the exchange length, the domain wall width, a typical roughness correlation length or a length scale introduced by patterning of the material. Here we report on the influence of two artificially created length scales: i) Ion erosion templates which serve as a source of a predefined surface morphology and hence allow for the investigation of roughness phenomena, ii) Ion implantation through a lithographically defined mask which is used for a magnetic property patterning on various length scales. The resulting magnetic properties are neither present in non-implanted nor in homogeneously implanted films. In both cases the magnetic properties, the magnetization reversal process as well as the magnetic domain configurations depend sensitively on the artificially introduced length scale.

Keywords: magnetism; ion implantation; ripples; ion erosion; self-organization; magnetic anisotropy; domains

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-12690
Publ.-Id: 12690