Tathagata Mukherjee

Optimization of magneto-optical Kerr setup: Analyzing experimental assemblies using Jones matrix formalism

We present a comparative study on an experimental and theoretical optimization of magneto-optical Kerr setups based on photoelastic modulation and phase sensitive detector methodology. The first and second harmonics, I omega,2 omega, of the reflected light intensity are measured for a CoO/Co magnetic reference film. The magnetic field dependence of the optical off-diagonal Fresnel reflection coefficients rps and rsp follows the sample magnetization. Different Kerr setups provide various dependencies of I omega,2 omega on the reflection coefficients and, hence, on the Kerr ellipticity epsilon K and rotation theta K. Jones matrix formalism has been used to analyze the impact of a systematic variation of relative analyzer and polarizer orientations with respect to each other and with respect to the retardation axis of the modulator involved in longitudinal Kerr setups for incoming s-polarized light. We find one particular setup which maximizes I(omega) as well as I2 omega and maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio. Inefficient setups are characterized by I omega,2 omega intensities involving large nonmagnetic contributions of rp and rs.

Isothermal low-field tuning of exchange bias in epitaxial Fe/Cr2O3/Fe

Moderate dc magnetic fields of less than 1T allow tuning the exchange bias in an epitaxially grown Fe 10nm∕Cr2O3 2.7nm∕Fe 10nm trilayer between negative and positive bias fields. Remarkably, this tunable exchange bias is observed at least up to 395K which exceeds the Neel temperature of bulk Cr2O3 (307K). The presence of spontaneous exchange bias and the absence of training effects at room temperature suggest the existence of stable interface moments independent of antiferromagnetic long range order in Cr2O3. Furthermore, the coercivity remains constant, independent of the exchange bias field. In contrast, large training associated with nonequilibrium spin configurations of antiferromagnetically ordered Cr2O3 appears below 50K.

Temperature- and field-induced entropy changes in nanomagnets

Room-temperature magnetic-entropy changes in nanostructures for magnetic refrigeration are investigated by model calculations. Using a mean-field approach, the magnetic entropy is calculated as a function of temperature, magnetic field, particle size, anisotropy, and interaction strength. Both isotropic (Heisenberg) and uniaxial (Ising and XY) anisotropies are considered. The nanoparticle entropy strongly depends on the character of the anisotropy, in contrast to atomic ferromagnetism, where the anisotropy energy is much smaller than the interaction energy. Most promising are isotropic particles and particles with weak easy axis anisotropy, as well as easy-plane particle with the field in the plane. The optimum nanoparticle size is not much larger than 1nm, because the relative magnetization direction in a nanoparticle is usually frozen and do not contribute to the entropy change.

Entropy localization in magnetic compounds and thin-film nanostructures

The effect of nanostructuring on the magnetic entropy of materials for room-temperature magnetic cooling is investigated by model calculations. The materials are structurally inhomogeneous with a large number of nonequivalent crystallographic sites. In the mean-field Heisenberg model, the entropy density is a unique function of the local magnetization so that the coupled set of nonlinear mean-field equations yields not only the magnetization but also the entropy density. Since most of the entropy is localized near grain boundaries, nanomagnetic cooling requires small feature sizes. Magnetic anisotropy is a substantial complication, even on a mean-field level, but the corresponding corrections are often very small.

Spin and elastic contributions to isothermal entropy change

Statistical considerations of ensembles of localized magnetic moments reveal an upper bound of the isothermal entropy change when only the magnetic degrees of freedom are considered. In this case, the maximum molar isothermal entropy change is determined by the spin multiplicity and is equal to Rln(2J + 1), where J is the angular momentum of an individual atom. However, in materials with giant magnetocaloric effect, the isothermal field-induced entropy change goes beyond the spin-multiplicity limit due to field-activated elastic degrees of freedom. Recently, we investigated a model of pairs of exchange-coupled Ising spins with variable real-space positions. We showed, within a classical approximation for the elastic degree of freedom, that a vibrational entropy contribution can be activated via applied magnetic fields. Here we quantify the impact of quantum corrections in the low-temperature limit. We compare calculations that include elastic interaction with the rigid exchange model in the high-temperatu...

Magnetic entropy changes in nanogranular Fe:Ni61Cu39

Artificial environment-friendly Gd-free magnetic nanostructures for magnetic cooling are investigated by temperature-dependent magnetic measurements. We consider two-phase nanocomposites where nanoclusters (Fe) are embedded in a Ni61Cu39 matrix. Several composite films are produced by cluster deposition. The average Fe cluster size depends on the deposition conditions and can be tuned by varying the deposition conditions. The quasiequilibrium Curie temperature of the Fe particles is high, but slightly lower than that of bulk Fe due to finite-size effects. Our experiments have focused on ensembles of 7.7 nm Fe clusters in a matrix with a composition close to Ni61Cu39, which has a TC of 180 K. The materials are magnetically soft, with coercivities of order 16 Oe even at relatively low temperature of 100 K. The entropy changes are modest, −ΔS = 0.05 J/kg K in a field change of 1 T and 0.30 J/kg K in a field change of 7 T at a temperature of 180 K, which should improve if the cluster size is reduced.

Asymmetric magnetoresistance in an exchange bias Co/CoO bilayer

Magnetoresistance (MR) measurements are carried out on a Co(8 nm)/CoO(3.5 nm) bilayer in the exchange bias (EB) state prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. With the applied magnetic field parallel to the current, the EB MR curves show an asymmetric behavior about the minimum, in contrast to the symmetric one for non-EB systems. We generalize a well-known analytical expression used for the field dependence of the MR of paramagnets. Our generalization incorporates coercivity and EB in a new phenomenological MR expression. Excellent fits of the latter to the experimental MR data are achieved, showing the way to use MR techniques for the quantitative characterization of EB systems. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the EB field obtained from MR loops can be described with a power law, which yields a value of 96.6 K for the EB blocking temperature, which is significantly below the Néel temperature of 293 K for bulk CoO.

Isothermal entropy changes in nanocomposite Co:Ni67Cu33

The temperature-dependent magnetic properties of artificial rare-earth, free-magnetic nanostructures are investigated for magnetic cooling. We consider two-phase nanocomposites, where 2 nm nanoclusters of cobalt are embedded in a Ni67Cu33 matrix. Several composite films were produced by cluster deposition. The average Co nanocluster size can be tuned by varying the deposition conditions. Isothermal magnetization curves were measured at various temperatures 150 K < T < 340 K in steps of 10 K. The isothermal entropy changes ΔS were calculated using the Maxwell relation. The entropy changes measured were, –ΔS = 0.15 J/kg·K in a field change of 1 T at 260 K and 0.72 J/kg·K in a field change of 7 T at 270 K.

Magnetometry and transport data complement polarized neutron reflectometry in magnetic depth profiling

Exchange coupled magnetic hard layer/soft layer thin films show a variety of complex magnetization reversal mechanisms depending on the hierarchy of interaction strengths within and between the films. Magnetization reversal can include uniform rotation, soft layer biasing, as well as exchange spring behavior. We investigate the magnetization reversal of a CoPt/Permalloy/Ta/Permalloy heterostructure. Here, Stoner-Wohlfarth-type uniform magnetization rotation of the virtually free Permalloy layer and exchange spring behavior of the strongly pinned Permalloy layer are found in the same sample. We investigate the complex magnetization reversal by polarized neutron reflectometry, magnetometry, and magneto-transport. The synergy of combining these experimental methods together with theoretical modeling is key to obtain the complete quantitative depth resolved information of the magnetization reversal processes for a multilayer of mesoscopic thickness.