A.V. Nikolaev

Direct optical observation of vertical Bloch lines propagation by in-plane field pulses

Vertical Bloch line (VBL) motion in response to in-plane field pulses is studied by the methods of polarized anisotropic dark field observation (PADO) and high-speed photography in bubble garnets. The mobility of VBLs and their velocities are measured. New types of PADO pictures which are connected with the dynamic changes of VBL and domain wall structures are observed in the nonlinear region of Bloch line motion. A difference in the dynamic behavior of VBLs of different types is observed. A qualitative discussion of the origin of PADO contrast features and VBL behavior difference is proposed. >

Generation of mesoscopic magnetic structures by local laser action

New effects are observed wherein the internal structure of the domain walls in a thin magnetic iron garnet film are modified by the action of focused laser radiation. A single laser pulse with increasing power gives rise to the following: 1) displacement of vertical Bloch lines in a domain wall; 2) generation of a pair of vertical Bloch lines on initially line-free walls; and, 3) an irreversible change in shape of a domain wall and the domain structure as a whole. The mechanism leading to the generation and displacement of Bloch lines is connected with the motion of domain walls which is induced by a local change in the distribution of demagnetizing fields as a result of a heating-induced decrease of the magnetization in the focal spot of the laser radiation.

Nucleation of magnetic bubble domains in iron garnet films by means of an electric probe

The possibility of the local nucleation of magnetic bubble domains from a single-domain state in an arbitrary region of a iron garnet film ((210) crystallographic orientation) by means of an electrically charged tip electrode has been experimentally demonstrated. The size of magnetic bubble domains nucleated near the contact point between the probe and sample depends on the magnitude of a DC voltage supplied to the probe. After the removal of the voltage, magnetic bubble domains move away from the probe, decreasing to the equilibrium radius.

Nuclear 111Cd probes detect a hidden symmetry change at the γ → α transition in cerium considered isostructural for 60 years

We use the time-differential perturbed angular correlation technique to study nuclear electric quadupole hyperfine interactions of probe 111Cd nuclei in cerium lattice sites at room temperature under pressures up to 8 GPa. We have found that the well known γ → α phase transition in cerium is not isostructural. In α-Ce, the probe 111Cd nuclei reveal a quadrupole electron charge density component that is absent in γ-Ce. The hidden spacial structure of electronic quadrupoles in α-Ce is triple-q antiferroquadrupolar, as was suggested in [14]. We relate our findings to the current understanding of the γ → α phase transition and also report on nuclear quadrupole interactions in other high-pressure phases of cerium: α″ (C2/m space symmetry) and α′ (α-U structure).

Modification of the domain wall structure and generation of submicron magnetic formations by local optical irradiation

Experimental and theoretical investigations are made of the generation of vertical Bloch lines in a magnetic iron garnet film exposed to pulsed optical radiation. High-speed photography and anisotropic dark-field microscopy are used to study characteristic features of the generation of Bloch lines and domain structure relaxation processes after the local action of a laser pulse. Optimum optical irradiation parameters to ensure the controlled generation of Bloch lines are established. A theoretical model is developed which links the generation of Bloch lines to the migration of domain walls induced by local changes in the distribution of the degaussing fields caused by a reduction in magnetization with temperature at the optical radiation focusing point. The experimental results indicate that the controlled formation of magnetic structures smaller than or of the order of 0.1 μm by local optical irradiation is quite feasible.

Spin Flexoelectricity and New Aspects of Micromagnetism

The coupling between the strain gradient and electric polarization is known as flexoelectricity in dielectrics materials. In case of magnetic media it takes the form of electric polarization induced by spin modulation and vice versa. This spin flexoelectricity causes new physical phenomena of micromagnetism such as electric field driven magnetic domain wall motion and electrical control of magnetic vortices in magnets as well as clamping of the magnetic domain walls at the ferroelectric ones in multiferroics.

Elusive s-f intrasite interactions and double exchange in solids: Ferromagnetic versus nonmagnetic ground state

From the theory of many-electron states in atoms, we know that there exists a strong Coulomb repulsion, which results in the electronic term structure of atoms and is responsible for Hund’s rules. By expanding the Coulomb on-site repulsion into a multipolar series, we derive this interaction and show that it is also present in solids as a correlation effect, which means that the interaction requires a multideterminant version of the Hartree-Fock method. Of particular interest is the case where this interaction couples states of localized (f) and delocalized (s) electrons. We show that the interaction is bilinear in the creation/annihilation operators for localized electrons and bilinear in the operators for conduction electrons. To study the coupling, we consider a simple model in the framework of an effective limited configuration interaction method with one localized f-electron and one itinerant s-electron per crystal site. The on-site multipole interaction between the f- and s-electrons is explicitly taken into account. It is shown that depending on the low-lying excitation spectrum imposed by the crystal electric field, the model can lead not only to ferromagnetism but also to a nonmagnetic state. The model is relevant for solids with localized and itinerant electron states.

Magneto-optical light modulator with local domain wall manipulation

We consider a scheme of Faraday magneto-optical light modulator with local magnetization control via magneto-electric effect. Our earlier researches of bismuth-substituted iron garnets films showed the giant domain wall (DW) displacement in electric field of charged tip due to magneto-electric effect [1, 2]. The displacement gives the opportunity to the local magnetization switching on the spatial scales about few microns.

Phonon assisted resonant tunneling and its phonons control

We observe a series of sharp resonant features in the tunneling differential conductance of InAs quantum dots. We found that dissipative quantum tunneling has a strong influence on the operation of nanodevices. Because of such tunneling the current–voltage characteristics of tunnel contact created between atomic force microscope tip and a surface of InAs/GaAs quantum dots display many interesting peaks. We found that the number, position, and heights of these peaks are associated with the phonon modes involved. To describe the found effect we use a quasi-classical approximation. There the tunneling current is related to a creation of a dilute instanton–anti-instanton gas. Our experimental data are well described with exactly solvable model where one charged particle is weakly interacting with two promoting phonon modes associated with external medium. We conclude that the characteristics of the tunnel nanoelectronic devices can thus be controlled by a proper choice of phonons existing in materials, which are involved.

New mechanisms of optical writing/reading in magnetic media

Optical detection of magnetic features of 0.1 µm or less in size, as well as their generation and motion due to laser shots, is described. The physical effects discovered make it possible to implement the basic functions of a memory device (writing, shift in a storage register, and reading) by purely optical means. These effects can form a basis for designing novel ultra-high-density solid-state memories with optical access and control.