Hendrik Ohldag

pi-electron ferromagnetism in metal-free carbon probed by soft x-ray dichroism.

Elemental carbon represents a fundamental building block of matter and the possibility of ferromagnetic order in carbon has attracted widespread attention. However, the origin of magnetic order in such a light element is only poorly understood and has puzzled researchers. We present a spectromicroscopy study at room temperature of proton irradiated metal-free carbon using the elemental and chemical specificity of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. We demonstrate that the magnetic order in the investigated system originates only from the carbon pi-electron system.

The role of hydrogen in room-temperature ferromagnetism at graphite surfaces

We present a x-ray dichroism study of graphite surfaces that addresses the origin and magnitude of ferromagnetism in metal-free carbon. We find that, in addition to carbon {pi} states, also hydrogen-mediated electronic states exhibit a net spin polarization with significant magnetic remanence at room temperature. The observed magnetism is restricted to the top {approx}10 nm of the irradiated sample where the actual magnetization reaches {approx_equal} 15 emu/g at room temperature. We prove that the ferromagnetism found in metal-free untreated graphite is intrinsic and has a similar origin as the one found in proton bombarded graphite.

Magnetic moment of Mn in the ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga0.98Mn0.02)As

We have studied the quasibinary ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga0.98Mn0.02)As by magnetic circular dichroism in x-ray absorption. We find a richly structured Mn absorption spectrum typical for localized 3d electrons. An analysis of the magnetization-averaged and dichroism line shapes shows a local Mn moment of 4.6μB, which is close to the Hund’s rule moment for the half-filled 3d shell. The magnitude of the dichroism reveals that only about 1/7 of the Mn atoms participate in the ferromagnetic order. Our experiment does not show a distinction between the ferro- and paramagnetic Mn atoms.

Magnetic order in graphite: Experimental evidence, intrinsic and extrinsic difficulties

We discuss recently obtained data using different experimental methods including magnetoresistance measurements that indicate the existence of metal-free high-temperature magnetic order in graphite. Intrinsic as well as extrinsic difficulties to trigger magnetic order by irradiation of graphite are discussed in view of recently published theoretical work.

Domain-size-dependent exchange bias in Co∕LaFeO3

X-ray microscopy using magnetic linear dichroism of a zero-field-grown, multi-domain Co/LaFeO{sub 3} ferromagnet/antiferromagnet sample shows a local exchange bias of random direction and magnitude. A statistical analysis of the local bias of individual, micron-size magnetic domains demonstrates an increasing bias field with decreasing domain size as expected for a random distribution of pinned, uncompensated spins, which are believed to mediate the interface coupling. A linear dependence with the inverse domain diameter is found.

Advances in methods to obtain and characterise room temperature magnetic ZnO

We report the existence of magnetic order at room temperature in Li-doped ZnO microwires after low energy H+ implantation. The microwires with diameters between 0.3 and 10 μm were prepared by a carbothermal process. We combine spectroscopy techniques to elucidate the influence of the electronic structure and local environment of Zn, O, and Li and their vacancies on the magnetic response. Ferromagnetism at room temperature is obtained only after implanting H+ in Li-doped ZnO. The overall results indicate that low-energy proton implantation is an effective method to produce the necessary amount of stable Zn vacancies near the Li ions to trigger the magnetic order.

MnL3,2 x-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism in ferromagnetic Ga1−xMnxP

We have measured the X-ray absorption and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the Mn L{sub 3,2} edges in ferromagnetic Ga{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}P for 0.018 {le} x {le} 0.042. Large XMCD asymmetries at the L{sub 3} edge indicate significant spin-polarization of the density of states at the Fermi energy. The temperature dependence of the XMCD and moment per Mn of 2.67 {+-} 0.45 {mu}{sub B} calculated using sum rules are consistent with magnetometry values. The spectral shapes of the X-ray absorption and XMCD are nearly identical with those for Ga{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}As indicating that the hybridization of Mn d and anion p states is similar in the two materials.

Femtosecond X-ray magnetic circular dichroism absorption spectroscopy at an X-ray free electron laser

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy using an X-ray free electron laser is demonstrated with spectra over the Fe L(3,2)-edges. The high brightness of the X-ray free electron laser combined with high accuracy detection of incident and transmitted X-rays enables ultrafast X-ray magnetic circular dichroism studies of unprecedented sensitivity. This new capability is applied to a study of all-optical magnetic switching dynamics of Fe and Gd magnetic sublattices in a GdFeCo thin film above its magnetization compensation temperature.

Direct observation and imaging of a spin-wave soliton with p−like symmetry

Spin waves, the collective excitations of spins, can emerge as nonlinear solitons at the nanoscale when excited by an electrical current from a nanocontact. These solitons are expected to have essentially cylindrical symmetry (that is, s-like), but no direct experimental observation exists to confirm this picture. Using a high-sensitivity time-resolved magnetic X-ray microscopy with 50 ps temporal resolution and 35 nm spatial resolution, we are able to create a real-space spin-wave movie and observe the emergence of a localized soliton with a nodal line, that is, with p-like symmetry. Micromagnetic simulations explain the measurements and reveal that the symmetry of the soliton can be controlled by magnetic fields. Our results broaden the understanding of spin-wave dynamics at the nanoscale, with implications for the design of magnetic nanodevices.

Observation of in plane magnetization reversal using polarization dependent magneto-optic Kerr effect

We present an experimental setup for in plane two axis magnetometry using the polarization dependent magneto–optic Kerr effect (MOKE). A conventional setup to measure longitudinal MOKE with crossed polarizers is extended by a Faraday cell to compensate for the rotation of the polarization vector caused by a magnetized sample. The shape of the hysteresis loops measured on thin FeNi alloy films depends strongly on the angle between the optical axis of the analyzer and the plane of incidence. We derive expressions for the compensation angle which allow for extraction of vectorial magnetic information from loops detected with oblique polarization. For a small deviation from pure s or p polarization the transverse magnetization is found to be proportional to the difference between the loop obtained with oblique polarization and the one obtained with pure s or p polarization. Thus the complete in plane reversal process split up into longitudinal and transverse components can be observed.