Morphological and magnetic analysis of Fe nanostructures on W(110) by using scanning tunneling microscopy and Lorentz microscopy

Abstract We investigated morphological features and magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe nanostructures (films, stripes and nanoparticles) on a W(110) surface with monoatomic steps preferentially along the direction. The nanostructures were prepared in ultra-high vacuum by using electron-beam evaporation and subsequent annealing at different temperatures. Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements in-situ revealed elongated Fe nanostructures with aspect ratios of up to . The observable shape and orientation (along or perpendicular to the monoatomic steps of the substrate) of the nanostructures depended substantially on the preparation parameters. By capping the system with 7 monolayers of Pt…

Exchange bias in epitaxial Mn2Au (0 0 1)/Fe (0 0 1) bilayers

Element-specific magnetic properties of mixed 3d−4f metallacrowns

Single molecule magnets comprising rare earth metals are of high interest due to the unquenched orbital moments of the rare earth ions that result in a large energy barrier for magnetization reversal. We investigate the magnetic properties of polynuclear $3d\text{\ensuremath{-}}4f15$-MC-5 metallacrowns using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism of powder samples at a temperature of 7 K in a magnetic field of 7 T. The sum rule analysis reveals element-specific spin and orbital moments. The magnetic moments of the $3d$ transition metal Ni(II) ions are coupled antiferromagnetically to each other and contribute only little to the total molecular moment. The spin and orbital moments of the rare ear…

Spectral Measurement of Photon Emission from Individual Gold Nanoparticles Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

The light emission spectra of individual Au nanoparticles induced by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) have been investigated. Two-dimensional ensembles of tunnel-coupled Au particles were prepared by thermal evaporation onto a native oxide silicon wafer in ultrahigh vacuum (10 – 9 mbar). Our STM measurements show a single peak at photon energy 1.6 eV in the tunneling mode and two peaks at 2.2 eV (connected with the Mie plasmon) and 1.45 eV (a new peak which was not discussed in literature before) in the field emission mode.

Solvent-induced high-spin transition in double-decker 3d–4f metallacrowns

Element-specific magnetic spin and orbital magnetic moments of $3d\text{\ensuremath{-}}4f$ double-decker metallacrown molecules have been investigated using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The double-decker metallacrowns comprise one rare-earth Gd(III) or Tb(III) ion embedded between two squared scaffolds of four Ni(II) ions. We observe a strong increase of the Ni(II) moments if the molecules are dissolved in methanol, indicating a spin crossover from a low-spin to a high-spin state. In contrast, dichloromethane does not change the spin state. This result is explained by a change of the coordination environment of nickel. The comparison of charge-transfer multiplet calculations with the …

Epitaxial Mn2Au thin films for antiferromagnetic spintronics

Mn2Au is one of the few candidate materials for antiferromagnetic spintronics requiring ordered metals with a high Neel-temperature and strong spin–orbit coupling. We report the preparation of epitaxial Mn2Au thin films by rf-sputtering. Structural characterization by x-ray and electron diffraction demonstrates a high degree of atomic order and the temperature dependence of the resistivity is typical for a good metal. The magnetic properties of the samples are studied by the investigation of Mn2Au/Fe bilayers. Exchange bias effects are observed, which present strong evidence for antiferromagnetic order in the Mn2Au thin films. Small domains of 500 nm are visualized in the exchange coupled F…

Imaging of current induced Néel vector switching in antiferromagnetic Mn 2 Au

The effects of current induced N\'eel spin-orbit torques on the antiferromagnetic domain structure of epitaxial Mn$_2$Au thin films were investigated by X-ray magnetic linear dichroism - photoemission electron microscopy (XMLD-PEEM). We observed current induced switching of AFM domains essentially corresponding to morphological features of the samples. Reversible as well as irreversible N\'eel vector reorientation was obtained in different parts of the samples and the switching of up to 30 % of all domains in the field of view of 10 $\mu$m is demonstrated. Our direct microscopical observations are compared to and fully consistent with anisotropic magnetoresistance effects previously attribu…

Manipulation of antiferromagnetic domain distribution in Mn2 Au by ultrahigh magnetic fields and by strain

Evidence for a spin reorientation in antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn2Au thin films induced by high magnetic fields as well as by the application of in-plane mechanical stress is provided. The AFM domain population in the samples was investigated by resonant X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD) measurements at the L3 edge of Mn using a variable linear polarization of the incident photon beam. As grown samples show no XMLD signal due to averaging over a random AFM domain distribution. After the exposure to a 70 T in-plane magnetic field a clear XMLD signal indicating the generation of a preferential AFM domain orientation is obtained. The same type of XMLD signal is observed when the thin films …

N\'{e}el Spin Orbit Torque driven antiferromagnetic resonance in Mn$_{2}$Au probed by time-domain THz spectroscopy

We observe the excitation of collective modes in the THz range driven by the recently discovered N\'{e}el spin-orbit torques (NSOT) in the metallic antiferromagnet Mn$_{2}$Au. Temperature dependent THz spectroscopy reveals a strong absorption mode centered near 1 THz, which upon heating from 4 K to 450 K softens and looses intensity. Comparison with the estimated eigenmode frequencies implies that the observed mode is an in-plane antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) mode. The AFMR absorption strength exceeds those found in antiferromagnetic insulators, driven by the magnetic field of the THz radiation, by three orders of magnitude. Based on this and the agreement with our theory modelling, we…

Néel Spin-Orbit Torque Driven Antiferromagnetic Resonance in Mn2Au Probed by Time-Domain THz Spectroscopy

We observe the excitation of collective modes in the terahertz (THz) range driven by the recently discovered Neel spin-orbit torques (NSOTs) in the metallic antiferromagnet Mn_{2}Au. Temperature-dependent THz spectroscopy reveals a strong absorption mode centered near 1 THz, which upon heating from 4 to 450 K softens and loses intensity. A comparison with the estimated eigenmode frequencies implies that the observed mode is an in-plane antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR). The AFMR absorption strength exceeds those found in antiferromagnetic insulators, driven by the magnetic field of the THz radiation, by 3 orders of magnitude. Based on this and the agreement with our theory modeling, we inf…

Analyzing the enforcement of a high-spin ground state for a metallacrown single-molecule magnet

We have studied element-selective magnetic properties of the hetero- and homometallic metallacrowns $\mathrm{Cu}{(\mathrm{II})}_{2}[12\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{MC}}_{YN(Shi)}\ensuremath{-}4]$ ($Y=\text{Cu}$, Fe, in short ${\mathrm{CuCu}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{CuFe}}_{4}$). These metallacrowns comprise four Fe or Cu ions surrounding a central Cu ion. Using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism we have probed local symmetries, electronic configuration, orbital and spin magnetic moments of the magnetic ions. The ratio between the Cu and Fe moment of $\ensuremath{-}0.11$ is independent of temperature in the range of 15 K to 90 K. The Cu moment shows antiparallel to the Fe moment. For ${\mathrm{CuCu}}_{4}…