0000000000409627

AUTHOR

L. Deák

A common optical algorithm for the evaluation of specular spin polarized neutron and Mössbauer reflectivities

Using the general approach of Lax for multiple scattering of waves a 2x2 covariant expression for the reflectivity of polarized slow neutrons of a magnetic layer structure of arbitrary complexity is given including polarization effects of the external magnetic field. The present formalism is identical to the earlier published one for the (nuclear) resonant X-ray (Mossbauer) reflectivity and properly takes the effect of the external magnetic field of arbitrary direction on the neutron beam into account. The form of the reflectivity matrix allows for an efficient numerical calculation.

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Switching Reciprocity On and Off in a Magneto-Optical X-Ray Scattering Experiment Using Nuclear Resonance ofα−Fe57Foils

Reciprocity is when the scattering amplitude of wave propagation satisfies a symmetry property, connecting a scattering process with an appropriate reversed one. We report on an experiment using nuclear resonance scattering of synchrotron radiation, which demonstrates that magneto-optical materials do not necessarily violate reciprocity. The setting enables us to switch easily between reciprocity and its violation. In the latter case, the exhibited reciprocity violation is orders of magnitude larger than achieved by previous wave scattering experiments.

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Coarsening of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Multilayers: The Key Role of Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy

The domain structure of an antiferromagnetic superlattice is studied. Synchrotron Mössbauer and polarized neutron reflectometric maps show micrometer-size primary domain formation as the external field decreases from saturation to remanence. A secondary domain state consisting mainly of at least 1 order of magnitude larger domains is created when a small field along the layer magnetizations induces a bulk-spin-flop transition. The domain-size distribution is reproducibly dependent on the magnetic prehistory. The condition for domain coarsening is shown to be the equilibrium of the external field energy with the anisotropy energy.

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Coherent forward-scattering amplitude in transmission and grazing incidence Mössbauer spectroscopy

The theory of both transmission and grazing incidence M\"ossbauer spectroscopy is re-analyzed. Starting with the nuclear susceptibility tensor a common concise first order perturbation formulation is given by introducing the forward scattering amplitude into an anisotropic optical scheme. Formulae of Blume and Kistner as well as those of Andreeva are re-derived for the forward scattering and grazing incidence geometries, respectively. Limitations of several previously intuitively introduced approximations are pointed out. The grazing incidence integral propagation matrices are written in a form built up from 2x2 matrix exponentials which is particularly suitable for numerical calculations a…

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Stroboscopic detection of nuclear resonance in an arbitrary scattering channel

The theory of heterodyne/stroboscopic detection of nuclear resonance scattering is developed, starting from the total scattering matrix as a product of the matrix of the reference sample and the sample under study. This general approach holds for any dynamical scattering channel. The forward channel, which is discussed in detail in the literature, reveals the speciality that electronic scattering causes only an energy independent diminution of the intensity. For all other channels, complex resonance line shapes in the heterodyne/stroboscopic spectra - as a result of interference of electronic and nuclear scattering - is encountered. The grazing incidence case is evaluated and described in d…

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Realizing total reciprocity violation in the phase for photon scattering

Scientific reports 7, 43114 (2017). doi:10.1038/srep43114

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Synchrotron Mössbauer Reflectometry in Materials Science

57Fe nuclear resonant scattering experiments are reported on iron-containing thin films using 14.41 keV synchrotron radiation at angles of grazing incidence around and slightly above the critical angle of the electronic total reflection. In partially oxidised α–Fe films of 20 nm original thickness various oxide and oxihydroxide phases are identified at different depth. In a [Fe/FeSi]10multilayer grown on Zerodur®substrate the Fe—Fe interlayer coupling varies with the distance from the substrate. The antiferromagnetic order of the top layers of this multilayer can be suppressed by external magnetic field. These examples demonstrate the efficiency of synchrotron Mossbauer reflectometry (SMR),…

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