Marie Hervé

Quantitative magnetic imaging at the nanometer scale by ballistic electron magnetic microscopy

We demonstrate quantitative ballistic electron magnetic microscopy (BEMM) imaging of simple model Fe(001) nanostructures. We use in situ nanostencil shadow mask resistless patterning combined with molecular beam epitaxy deposition to prepare under ultra-high vacuum conditions nanostructured epitaxial Fe/Au/Fe/GaAs(001) spin-valves. In this epitaxial system, the magnetization of the bottom Fe/GaAs(001) electrode is parallel to the [110] direction, defining accurately the analysis direction for the BEMM experiments. The large hot-electron magnetoresistance of the Fe/Au/Fe/GaAs(001) epitaxial spin-valve allows us to image various stable magnetic configurations on the as-grown Fe(001) microstructures with a high sensitivity, even for small misalignments of both magnetic electrodes. The angular dependence of the hot-electron magnetocurrent is used to convert magnetization maps calculated by micromagnetic simulations into simulated BEMM images. The calculated BEMM images and magnetization rotation profiles show quantitative agreement with experiments and allow us to investigate the magnetic phase diagram of these model Fe(001) microstructures. Finally, magnetic domain reversals are observed under high current density pulses. This opens the way for further BEMM investigations of current-induced magnetization dynamics.

k-space spin filtering effect in the epitaxial Fe/Au/Fe/GaAs(001) spin-valve

The hot-electron magnetotransport of epitaxial Fe/Au/Fe/GaAs(001) spin-valves is investigated by ballistic-electron magnetic microscopy. A magnetocurrent amplitude larger than 500% is observed at room temperature close to the Schottky barrier energy. Remarkably, this magnetocurrent is not significantly affected by the thickness reduction of ferromagnetic films, down to 5 atomic layers of the Fe(001) top electrode. This rather suggests a dominant interfacial spin-filtering effect. Finally, the magnetocurrent is strongly reduced when the effective mass of the semiconductor collector is increased. These observations are consistent with recent theoretical prediction of k-space spin-filtering effect in epitaxial spin-valves attached to a semiconducting lead.