S. A. Nikitov

Magnetotransport characteristics of strained La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 epitaxial manganite films

The electrical and magnetic characteristics of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) epitaxial manganite films are investigated by different methods under conditions when the crystal structure is strongly strained as a result of mismatch between the lattice parameters of the LSMO crystal and the substrate. Substrates with lattice parameters larger and smaller than the nominal lattice parameter of the LSMO crystal are used in experiments. It is shown that the behavior of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance for the films in the low-temperature range does not depend on the strain of the film and agrees well with the results obtained from the calculations with allowance made for the interaction of electrons with magnetic excitations in the framework of the double-exchange model for systems with strongly correlated electronic states. Investigations of the magneto- optical Kerr effect have revealed that an insignificant (0.3%) orthorhombic distortion of the cubic lattice in the plane of the NdGaO3(110) substrate leads to uniaxial anisotropy of the magnetization of the film, with the easy-magnetization axis lying in the substrate plane. However, LSMO films on substrates (((LaAlO3)0.3+(Sr2AlTaO6)0.7)(001)) ensuring minimum strain of the films exhibit a biaxial anisotropy typical of cubic crystals. The study of the ferromagnetic resonance lines at a frequency of 9.76 GHz confirms the results of magnetooptical investigations and indicates that the ferromagnetic phase in the LSMO films is weakly inhomogeneous.

Magnetic anisotropy of strained epitaxial manganite films

The in-plane magnetic anisotropy of epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) films is studied at room temperature by the following three independent techniques: magnetooptical Kerr effect, ferromagnetic resonance at a frequency of 9.61 GHz, and recording of absorption spectra of electromagnetic radiation at a frequency of 290.6 MHz. The films are deposited onto NdGaO3 (NGO) substrates in which the (110)NGO plane is tilted at an angle of 0–25.7° to the substrate plane. The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy induced by the strain of the film is found to increase with the tilt angle of the (110)NGO plane. A model is proposed to describe the change in the magnetic anisotropy energy with the tilt angle. A sharp increase in the radio-frequency absorption in a narrow angular range of a dc magnetic field near a hard magnetization axis is detected The anisotropy parameters of the LSMO films grown on (110)NGO, (001)SrTiO3, and (001)[(LaAlO3)0.3 + (Sr2AlTaO6)0.7] substrates are compared.

Cross-phase modulation of surface magnetostatic spin waves

This paper explains the modulation instability of two surface magnetostatic spin waves simultaneously propagating in a ferromagnetic film. Self-modulation of the spin waves appears when their power reaches a threshold, and this is a sign of cross-phase modulation. The parameters of the unstable process are calculated, and the gains of the perturbation amplitudes are determined. The results published earlier on the experimental detection of the cross-phase modulation of spin waves are explained.

Nonlinearity: magneto-optic—microwave interactions. Towards new devices

Abstract The properties of ferrimagnetic yttrium—iron-garnet films are investigated with respect of mutual interactions between optical wave guided modes and spin waves excited by means of microwaves. Various physical effects are reviewed and their practical applications are discussed. Traditional methods of microwave—optic waves interaction are extended to the case where the microwave power becomes high and the nonlinearity of the magnetic film plays a crucial role. Along with traditional devices such as magneto-optic Bragg cells, frequency shifters, modulators a new class of nonlinear devices is considered and practical recommendations are given.

Enhanced interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and isolated skyrmions in the inversion-symmetry-broken Ru/Co/W/Ru films

An enhancement of the spin-orbit effects arising on an interface between a ferromagnet (FM) and a heavy metal (HM) is possible through the strong breaking of the structural inversion symmetry in the layered films. Here, we show that an introduction of an ultrathin W interlayer between Co and Ru in Ru/Co/Ru films enables to preserve perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and simultaneously induce a large interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (iDMI). The study of the spin-wave propagation in the Damon-Eshbach geometry by Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy reveals the drastic increase in the iDMI value with the increase in W thickness (tW). The maximum iDMI of −3.1 erg/cm2 is observed for tW = 0.24 nm, which is 10 times larger than for the quasi-symmetrical Ru/Co/Ru films. We demonstrate the evidence of the spontaneous field-driven nucleation of isolated skyrmions supported by micromagnetic simulations. Magnetic force microscopy measurements reveal the existence of sub-100-nm skyrmions in the zero magnetic field. The ability to simultaneously control the strength of PMA and iDMI in quasi-symmetrical HM/FM/HM trilayer systems through the interface engineered inversion asymmetry at the nanoscale excites new fundamental and practical interest in ultrathin ferromagnets, which are a potential host for stable magnetic skyrmions.An enhancement of the spin-orbit effects arising on an interface between a ferromagnet (FM) and a heavy metal (HM) is possible through the strong breaking of the structural inversion symmetry in the layered films. Here, we show that an introduction of an ultrathin W interlayer between Co and Ru in Ru/Co/Ru films enables to preserve perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) and simultaneously induce a large interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (iDMI). The study of the spin-wave propagation in the Damon-Eshbach geometry by Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy reveals the drastic increase in the iDMI value with the increase in W thickness (tW). The maximum iDMI of −3.1 erg/cm2 is observed for tW = 0.24 nm, which is 10 times larger than for the quasi-symmetrical Ru/Co/Ru films. We demonstrate the evidence of the spontaneous field-driven nucleation of isolated skyrmions supported by micromagnetic simulations. Magnetic force microscopy measurements reveal the existence of sub-100-nm skyrmions in the z...

Nonlinear Love waves in a ferroelastic film on an elastic substrate

A theory of nonlinear acoustic Love wave propagation in a ferroelastic film on an elastic substrate is presented. The main stress in this work is put upon the investigation of the properties of the nonlinear acoustic waves in films close to the phase transition, which is different from previously reported works on this subject. The parameters of the striction superstructure (elastic domains) nucleating close to the paraelastic - ferroelastic phase transition are estimated for real ferroelectric films. In the framework of the asymptotic approach the effective nonlinear Schrodinger equation for the envelope of the Love wave is derived and the possibility of bright- and dark-soliton formation is discussed. It is demonstrated that for a change of career wave wavenumber the transition between stable wave propagation and the modulation instability is realized. It is found that the strong dispersion of the soft Love wave near the ferroelastic phase transition is responsible for such a transition.

Amplification of spin oscillation noise by self-modulation in a traveling magnetostatic wave

A theoretical analysis is made of the formation and evolution of modulational instability of a traveling magnetostatic spin wave in a ferromagnetic film. Results of earlier experiments are analyzed and it is demonstrated that the experimental results can be explained using a model describing the evolution of the signal wave and initial noise allowing for their nonlinear interaction. The instability process is simulated numerically and the results are compared with calculations using a deterministic model. Mechanisms are discussed for the loss of spectral symmetry in the formation of modulation frequency satellites.