TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristic magnetic domain size in Fe with exchange-coupled antiferromagnetic NiO underlayer
AU - Sakimura, Hiroto
AU - Suzuki, Masahiko
AU - Yamauchi, Yasushi
AU - Gao, Ying
AU - Harumoto, Takashi
AU - Nakamura, Yoshio
AU - Ando, Kazuya
AU - Shi, Ji
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Nos. 19H00864, 26220604, 26103004, the Canon Foundation, the Asahi Glass Foundation, JGC-S Scholarship Foundation, and Spintronics Research Network of Japan (Spin-RNJ). H.S. is supported by JSPS Grant-inAid for Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC1) No. JP17J03624.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Characteristic size of magnetic domains in Fe films deposited on NiO layers was measured by spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy. Our observation results and statistical analysis revealed the increase of magnetic domain sizes with the Fe-thickness increase. Interestingly, the evolution of magnetic domain sizes in Fe showed a strong dependence on the thickness of NiO underneath, or thicker NiO lead the formation of smaller magnetic domains in Fe. This phenomenon can be explained by the increase of the interlayer exchange coupling between Fe and the polycrystalline NiO. It is consistent with the results of recent studies that spin dynamics at a ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface is affected by the domain structure. Our results suggest a new route to manipulate the micromagnetic structure without the application of external magnetic field.
AB - Characteristic size of magnetic domains in Fe films deposited on NiO layers was measured by spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy. Our observation results and statistical analysis revealed the increase of magnetic domain sizes with the Fe-thickness increase. Interestingly, the evolution of magnetic domain sizes in Fe showed a strong dependence on the thickness of NiO underneath, or thicker NiO lead the formation of smaller magnetic domains in Fe. This phenomenon can be explained by the increase of the interlayer exchange coupling between Fe and the polycrystalline NiO. It is consistent with the results of recent studies that spin dynamics at a ferromagnet/antiferromagnet interface is affected by the domain structure. Our results suggest a new route to manipulate the micromagnetic structure without the application of external magnetic field.
KW - Antiferromagnetism
KW - Interlayer exchange coupling
KW - Magnetic domain
KW - Spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy
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U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.146515
DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.146515
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85084813777
SN - 0169-4332
VL - 526
JO - Applied Surface Science
JF - Applied Surface Science
M1 - 146515
ER -