Tuneable exchange-spring stiffness in amorphous magnetic trilayer structures. (25th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Magnus, F; Arnalds, U B; Palonen, H; Pálsson, G K; Ali, H; Leifer, K; Hjörvarsson, B
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 33:Number 44(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08-25
• Subjects: exchange-spring magnet -- interlayer exchange coupling -- amorphous -- thin film -- magnetic proximity effect; Condensed matter -- Periodicals; Matière condensée -- Périodiques; Vaste stoffen; Vloeistoffen; Natuurkunde; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/ac1c2c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-8984

Abstract

Abstract: We investigate the magnetic properties of amorphous Sm10 Co90 /Co60 (Al70 Zr30 )40 /Co85 (Al70 Zr30 )15 exchange-spring magnet trilayers. The magnetically soft Co85 (Al70 Zr30 )15 layer is coupled to the magnetically hard Sm10 Co90 layer through the weakly magnetic low- T c Co60 (Al70 Zr30 )40 spacer layer. The strength of the coupling can be controlled with temperature and the coupling persists above the intrinsic T c of the spacer layer due to a long-range magnetic proximity effect. Polarized neutron reflectivity is used to examine the magnetic profile of the trilayers during magnetization reversal. A two-step switching occurs, with the switching angle of the soft layer strongly dependent on the strength of the coupling. In the strong coupling regime a magnetic state can be achieved where the soft layer magnetization is perpendicular to the hard layer whereas in the weak coupling regime the soft layer reverses fully.