Nanosession: Spin Tunneling Systems

Preparation of Heusler thin films: The quaternary alloy CO2Fe0.5Mn0.5Si

In this work the basic strategies for the preparation of CO2Mn0.5Fe0.5Si as an example for Heusler alloy thin films will be described. Texture and magnetic properties of these films will be discussed, especially with regard to different buffer layers and annealing temperatures. Finally, we will show the integration of Heusler thin films into magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) and calculate the effective spin polarization. (c) 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Off-stoichiometry in Co2FeSi thin films sputtered from stoichiometric targets revealed by nuclear magnetic resonance

Co2FeSi is predicted to be a half-metallic ferromagnet with an extraordinary high magnetic moment and Curie temperature. However, a low tunnel magneto-resistance ratio, a lower spin polarization and a lower magnetic moment were experimentally observed in thin film samples. Consequently, thin Co2FeSi films of different groups were studied using spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). NMR probes the local hyperfine fields of the active atoms, which strongly depend on the local environment. NMR is thus able to reveal the next neighbouring shells of the Co-59 nuclei in the Co2FeSi thin films. As expected, our NMR study shows the main resonance line corresponding to Co-59 nuclei in the L2(1)…

On/off switching of bit readout in bias-enhanced tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect.

Thermoelectric effects in magnetic tunnel junctions are currently an attractive research topic. Here, we demonstrate that the tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect (TMS) in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB tunnel junctions can be switched on to a logic 1 state and off to 0 by simply changing the magnetic state of the CoFeB electrodes. We enable this new functionality of magnetic tunnel junctions by combining a thermal gradient and an electric field. This new technique unveils the bias-enhanced tunnel magneto-Seebeck effect, which can serve as the basis for logic devices or memories in a green information technology with a pure thermal write and read process. Furthermore, the thermally generated voltages that are re…

Enhanced Magneto-optic Kerr Effect and Magnetic Properties ofCeY2Fe5O12Epitaxial Thin Films

Integrated magneto-optical components require magnetic thin films for tuning of their parameters, and for many applications yttrium iron garnet (YIG) is the material of choice. The authors study high-quality cerium-substituted YIG thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition, which possess tunable magnetic anisotropy and a greatly enhanced magneto-optic Kerr effect, compared to conventional films. This discovery presents new opportunities for engineering tomorrow's magneto-optical and spintronic logic devices.