Search results for "Applied Physics"

Spin–orbit torque driven multi-level switching in He + irradiated W–CoFeB–MgO Hall bars with perpendicular anisotropy

2020

We have investigated the spin–orbit torque-driven magnetization switching in W/CoFeB/MgO Hall bars with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. He+ ion irradiation through a mask has been used to reduce locally the effective perpendicular anisotropy at a Hall cross. Anomalous Hall effect measurements combined with Kerr microscopy indicate that the switching process is dominated by domain wall (DW) nucleation in the irradiated region followed by rapid domain propagation at a current density as low as 0.8 MA/cm2 with an assisting in-plane magnetic field. Thanks to the implemented strong pinning of the DW at the transition between the irradiated and the non-irradiated region, an intermediate Hall r…

Ab initio calculations of the electronic structure for Mn2+-doped YAlO3 crystals

2020

The electronic structure of Mn2+ ion substituted for the host Y atom in orthorhombic bulk YAlO3 crystals has been calculated by means of hybrid exchange-correlation functional HSE within density functional theory. The supercell approach has been used to simulate in Pbnm YAlO3 crystal the point defects, Mn-dopant and compensated the F+ center (oxygen vacancy with one trapped electron), to make unit cell neutral. Large 2 × 2 × 2 supercells of 160 atoms allow us to simulate substitutional point defect with concentration of about 3%. Mn2+ ions substituting for host Y form covalent Mn–O bonds, in opposite to the mostly ionic Y–O bond. The F center inserted to compensate the Mn2+ dopant in YAlO3 …

Impact of the interplay of piezoelectric strain and current-induced heating on the field-like spin–orbit torque in perpendicularly magnetized Ta/Co20…

2021

Spin–orbit torques (SOTs) are known to be the most efficient way to manipulate the magnetization direction by electrical currents. While, conventionally, one symmetry component of the SOTs, namely, the damping-like torque, was considered to play a primary role, recently, the significance of the other component, the field-like torque, has been revised, owing to the non-trivial dynamics it can induce in heavy metal/ferromagnet multilayers. In this work, we first discuss the unusual behavior of the field-like SOT in a Ta/CoFeB/Ta/MgO multilayer system with a reduced magnetic anisotropy and demonstrate an energy-efficient approach to manipulate the magnitude of the SOT effective fields. Finally…

Efficiency of H center stabilization in alkali halide crystals at low-temperature uniaxial deformation

2020

The efficiency of stabilization of H centers as well as its dependence on the degree of uniaxial deformation are considered within the framework of the modified geometric model of alkali halides. It is shown that stabilization of H centers is difficult in KI and RbI crystals, while in other NaCl-type crystals it becomes quite probable. Under uniaxial deformation, the interstitial space, in which the defect will be located, decreases, and the efficiency decrease. In the case of cesium halides, the orientation of the H centers takes place predominantly in the direction; therefore, the criteria for their stabilization differ from the NaCl-type alkali halide crystals. According to calculations,…

Antiferromagnetic NiO thickness dependent sign of the spin Hall magnetoresistance in γ-Fe 2 O 3 /NiO/Pt epitaxial stacks

2019

We study the spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) in epitaxial γ–Fe2O3/NiO(001)/Pt stacks, as a function of temperature and thickness of the antiferromagnetic insulating NiO layer. Upon increasing the thickness of NiO from 0 nm to 10 nm, we detect a sign change of the SMR in the temperature range between 10 K and 280 K. This temperature dependence of the SMR in our stacks is different compared to that of previously studied yttrium iron garnet/NiO/Pt, as we do not find any peak or sign change as a function of temperature. We explain our data by a combination of spin current reflection from both the NiO/Pt and γ-Fe2O3/NiO interfaces and the thickness-dependent exchange coupling mode between the …

Positron annihilation characterization of free volume in microand macro-modified Cu0.4Co0.4Ni0.4Mn1.8O4ceramics

2016

Free volume and pore size distribution size in functional micro and macro-micro-modified Cu0.4Co0.4Ni0.4Mn1.8O4 ceramics are characterized by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy in comparison with Hg-porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy technique. Positron annihilation results are interpreted in terms of model implication positron trapping and ortho-positronium decaying. It is shown that free volume of positron traps are the same type for macro and micro modified Cu0.4Co0.4Ni0.4Mn1.8O4 ceramics. Classic Tao-Eldrup model in spherical approximation is used to calculation of the size of nanopores smaller than 2 nm using the ortho-positronium lifetime.

Ab initio calculations of structural, electronic and vibrational properties of BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 perovskite crystals with oxygen vacancies

2020

The first-principles (ab initio) computations of the structural, electronic, and phonon properties have been performed for cubic and low-temperature tetragonal phases of BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 perovskite crystals, both stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric (with neutral oxygen vacancies). Calculations were performed with the CRYSTAL17 computer code within the linear combination of atomic orbitals approximation, using the B1WC advanced hybrid exchange-correlation functional of the density-functional-theory (DFT) and the periodic supercell approach. Various possible spin states of the defective systems were considered by means of unrestricted (open shell) DFT calculations. It was demonstrated that…

2019

We systematically study the pump-wavelength dependence of terahertz pulse generation in thin-film spintronic THz emitters composed of a ferromagnetic CoFeB layer between adjacent nonmagnetic W and Pt layers. We find that the efficiency of THz generation is essentially flat for excitation by 150 fs pulses with center wavelengths ranging from 900 to 1500 nm, demonstrating that the spin current does not depend strongly on the pump photon energy. We show that the inclusion of dielectric overlayers of TiO2 and SiO2, designed for a particular excitation wavelength, can enhance the terahertz emission by a factor of up to two in field.

Enhancing domain wall velocity through interface intermixing in W-CoFeB-MgO films with perpendicular anisotropy

2019

We study the influence of He+ irradiation induced interface intermixing on magnetic domain wall (DW) dynamics in W-CoFeB (0.6 nm)-MgO ultrathin films, which exhibit high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and large Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) values. Whereas the pristine films exhibit strong DW pinning, we observe a large increase in the DW velocity in the creep regime upon He+ irradiation, which is attributed to the reduction of pinning centers induced by interface intermixing. Asymmetric in-plane field-driven domain expansion experiments show that the DMI value is slightly reduced upon irradiation, and a direct relationship between DMI and interface anisotropy is demonstrated. …

First principles simulations on migration paths of oxygen interstitials in magnesium aluminate spinel

2018

This study has been carried out within the framework of the EURO fusion Consortium and has been provided funding from the Euratom research and training program 2014–2018 under grant agreement No. 633053. The authors are indebted to A.I. Popov, A.C. Lushchik and R. Vila for stimulating discussions. Technical assistance from O. Lisovski is appreciated too. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. Calculations have been performed using Marconi supercomputer system based in Italy at CINECA Supercomputing Centre.