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Topological phase in magnetic materials yields a quantized contribution to the Hall effect known as the topological Hall effect, which is often caused by skyrmions, with each skyrmion creating a magnetic flux quantum ±h/e. The control and understanding of topological properties in nanostructured materials is the subject of immense interest for both fundamental science and technological applications, especially in spintronics. In this work, the electron-transport properties and spin structure of exchange-coupled cobalt nanoparticles with an average particle size of 13.7 nm are studied experimentally and theoretically. Magnetic and Hall-effect measurements identify topological phase transitions in the exchange-coupled cobalt nanoparticles and were used to discover a qualitatively new type of hysteresis in the topological Hall effect—namely, Berry-phase hysteresis. Micromagnetic simulations reveal the origin of the topological Hall effect—namely, the chiral domains, with domain-wall chirality quantified by an integer skyrmion number. These spin structures are different from the skyrmions formed due to Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interactions in B20 crystals and multilayered thin films, and caused by cooperative magnetization reversal in the exchange-coupled cobalt nanoparticles. An analytical model is developed to explain the underlying physics of Berry-phase hysteresis, which is strikingly different from the iconic magnetic hysteresis and constitutes one aspect of 21st-century reshaping of our view on nature at the borderline of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and materials science.

Magnetotransport and ferromagnetism in thin films of Co2Si nanoclusters are investigated experimentally and theoretically. The nanoclusters are fabricated by an inert-gas condensation-type cluster-deposition method and have an average size of 11.3 nm. Unlike the bulk Co2Si that exhibits a very weak net magnetic moment only below 10 K, the nanoclusters exhibit room-temperature ferromagnetism with a substantial saturation magnetization. Key features of the system are its closeness to the Stoner transition, magnetic moments induced by spin polarization starting from surface atoms, and nonuniaxial anisotropy associated with the orthorhombic crystal structure of Co2Si. A method is introduced to determine the effective anisotropy using the experimental magnetization data of this complex system and its relationship with the two lowest-order nonuniaxial anisotropy constants. On decreasing temperature from 300 K, the nanoclusters show electron-transport properties unusual for a ferromagnetic metal, including an increase of Hall resistivity and a nonmonotonic change of negative magnetoresistance with a peak at around 100 K. The underlying physics is explained on the basis of the large polarization of surface spins and variation in the degree of their misalignments due to temperature-dependent effective anisotropy.

Structural and magnetic properties of iron-free and iron-substituted SmCo5 have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The nanocrystalline ribbons of SmCo5−xFex (0 [] x [] 2), which were produced by rapid solidification, crystallize in the hexagonal CaCu5 structure for x [] 0.75. Small Fe additions (x = 0.25) substantially improve the coercivity, from 0.45 to 2.70 T, which we interpret as combined intrinsic and extrinsic effect. Most of our findings are consistent with past samarium-cobalt research, but some are at odds with findings that have seemingly been well established through decades of rare-earth transition-metal research. In particular, our local spin-density approximation with Hubbard parameter calculations indicate that the electronic structure of the Sm atoms violates Hund’s rules and that the orbital moment is strongly quenched. Possible reasons for the apparent disagreement between theory and experiment are discussed. We explicitly determine the dependence of the Sm 4ƒ charge distribution, arguing that an accurate density-functional description of SmCo5 is a challenge to future research.

In this work, we investigated the magnetic and structural properties of isolated Mn5Ge3 nanoparticles prepared by the cluster-beam deposition technique. Particles with sizes between 7.2 and 12.6 nm were produced by varying the argon pressure and power in the cluster gun. X-ray diffraction (XRD)and selected area diffraction (SAD) measurements show that the nanoparticles crystallize in the hexagonal Mn5Si3-type crystal structure, which is also the structure of bulk Mn5Ge3. The temperature dependence of the magnetization shows that the as-made particles are ferromagnetic at room temperature and have slightly different Curie temperatures. Hysteresis-loop measurements show that the saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles increases significantly with particle size, varying from 31 kA/m to 172 kA/m when the particle size increases from 7.2 to 12.6 nm. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant K at 50 K, determined by fitting the high-field magnetization data to the law of approach to saturation, also increases with particle size, from 0.4 x 105 J/m3 to 2.9 x 105 J/m3 for the respective sizes. This trend is mirrored by the coercivity at 50 K, which increases from 0.04 T to 0.13 T. A possible explanation for the magnetization trend is a radial Ge concentration gradient.

Introducing magnetic behavior in nonmagnetic transition metal dichalcogenides is essential to broaden their applications in spintronic and nanomagnetic devices. In this article, we investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of transition-metal-intercalated tungsten diselenide (WSe2) using density functional theory. We find that intercalation compounds with composition of T1/4WSe2 (T is an ironseries transition-metal atom) exhibit substantial magnetic moments and pronounced ferromagnetic order for late transition metals. The densities of states of the T atoms and the magnetic moments on the W sites indicate that the moments of the intercalated atoms become more localized with increasing atomic number. A large perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy of about 9 meV per supercell has been found for Fe1/4WSe2. Furthermore, using mean field theory, we estimated high Curie temperatures of 660, 475, and 379 K for Cr, Mn, and Fe, respectively. The predicted magnetic properties suggest that WSe2 may have applications in spin electronics and nanomagnetic devices.

Electronic, structural, and magnetic properties of Pt dichalcogenide monolayers are investigated using firstprinciple calculations.We find that hydrogenation lifts the spin degeneracy in narrow antibonding Pt 5d subband electrons and transforms the nonmagnetic semiconductors PtX2 (X = S,Se,Te) into ferromagnetic metals, PtX2-1H; neither strain nor thin-film edges are necessary to support the transition. The trend towards ferromagnetism is most pronounced for X = S, decreasing with increasing atomic weight of the chalcogens.

This study presents the structural and magnetic properties of melt-spun HfCo7, HfCo7-xFex (0.25 < x < 1), and HfCo7Six (0.2 < x < 1.2) alloys. Appreciable permanent-magnet properties with a magnetocrystalline anisotropy of about 9.6–16.5 Mergs/cm3, a magnetic polarization Js = 7.2 –10.6 kG, and coercivities Hc = 0.5–3.0 kOe were obtained by varying the composition of these alloys. Structural analysis reveals that the positions of x-ray diffraction peaks of HfCo7 show good agreement with those corresponding to an orthorhombic structure having lattice parameters of about a = 4.719 A, b = 4.278 A, and c = 8.070 A. Based on these results, a model crystal structure for HfCo7 is developed and used to estimate the magnetic properties of HfCo7 using density-functional calculations, which agree with the experimental results.

Nanostructured Mn3-x Ga ribbons with x = 0, 0.4, 0.9 and 1.1 were prepared using arc-melting, melt-spinning and annealing. As-spun samples crystallized into hexagonal D019 and cubic L21 Heusler crystal structures based on the concentration of Mn in Mn3-x Ga. Upon vacuum-annealing the samples at 450 C for about 50 hours, both the hexagonal and cubic structures transformed into a tetragonal D022 structure. High-temperature x-ray diffraction and high-temperature magnetometry showed that the samples with low Mn content (Mn1.9 Ga and Mn2.1 Ga) retain their tetragonal structure up to 850 K but the samples with high Mn concentrations (Mn2.6 Ga and Mn3.0 Ga) undergo a structural phase transition from tetragonal to hexagonal phases around 800 K. The magnetic properties of Mn3-x Ga ribbons were very sensitive to Mn concentration, where the magnetization and anisotropy energy increased and the coercivity decreased as x increased from 0 to 1.1. Although the Curie temperatures of Mn2.6 Ga and Mn3.0 Ga samples could not be determined because of the structural phase transition, the Curie temperature decreased with increasing x in Mn3-x Ga. The maximum magnetization of 57 emu/g (300 emu/cm3) and the coercivity of 6.5 kOe were measured in the Mn1.9 Ga and Mn3.0 Ga ribbons, respectively.

First-principle calculations are employed to show that the magnetic structure of small atomic clusters of Co, formed on a crystalline W(110) surface and containing 3–12 atoms, strongly deviates from the usual stable ferromagnetism of Co in other systems. The clusters are ferri-, ferro- or non-magnetic, depending on cluster size and geometry. We determine the atomic Co moments and their relative alignment, and show that antiferromagnetic spin alignment in the Co clusters is caused by hybridization with the tungsten substrate and band filling. This is in contrast with the typical strong ferromagnetism of bulk Co alloys, and ferromagnetic coupling in Fe/W(110) clusters.

The magnetism of ultrasmall Co:CoO core-shell nanoclusters is investigated. The structures, produced by cluster-beam deposition, have Co core sizes ranging from 1 to 7 nm and a CoO shell thickness of about 3 nm. Hysteresis loops as well as zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization curves have been measured and a striking feature of the nanostructures is the existence of proteretic (clockwise) rather than hysteretic loops in the core-size range from 3 to 4 nm. The proteretic behavior and its particle-size dependence reflect a subtle interplay between various anisotropies and exchange interactions in the Co and CoO phases and at the Co–CoO interface.

Room-temperature magnetic-entropy changes in nanostructures for magnetic refrigeration are investigated by model calculations. Using a mean-field approach, the magnetic entropy is calculated as a function of temperature, magnetic field, particle size, anisotropy, and interaction strength. Both isotropic (Heisenberg) and uniaxial (Ising and XY) anisotropies are considered. The nanoparticle entropy strongly depends on the character of the anisotropy, in contrast to atomic ferromagnetism, where the anisotropy energy is much smaller than the interaction energy. Most promising are isotropic particles and particles with weak easy axis anisotropy, as well as easy-plane particle with the field in the plane. The optimum nanoparticle size is not much larger than 1 nm, because the relative magnetization direction in a nanoparticle is usually frozen and do not contribute to the entropy change.

FePt nanoparticles with a size of 3 nm and thermally stable room-temperature ferromagnetism are investigated. The monodisperse nanoparticles were prepared by chemical synthesis and a salt-matrix annealing technique. Structural and magnetic characterizations confirmed the phase transition from the disordered face-centered cubic structure to the L10 structure with the chemical ordering parameter of 0.62±0.05. Analysis in blocking temperature and fitting of temperature dependence of switching field reveals that the transformed 3 nm nanoparticles have a magnetic anisotropy constant of (2.8±0.2) x 106 J/m3, smaller than those for the bigger particles and the fully ordered L10 bulk phase.

We report on the structure and magnetism of V-doped SnO2 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. The structure and magnetic properties of the films strongly depend on the substrates on which the films are grown. Films grown on Al2O3 substrates are single crystalline and show anisotropic in-plane magnetic moments, while films grown on Si substrates are nanocrystalline and show no anisotropy. Compared with that of single-crystalline films, the magnetic moment of nanocrystalline films is higher at low V concentration, decreases more quickly as the V concentration increases, and is more sensitive to vacuum annealing. Our results suggest important roles for spin–orbit coupling and defects in the magnetism of diluted magnetic oxides.

Nanoparticles of bulk antiferromagnets often exhibit ferromagnetic behavior due to uncompensated surface spins. The peak temperature in the zero-field-cooled magnetization of MnO—in contrast to other antiferromagnetic nanoparticles—has anomalous behavior, shifting to higher temperatures with decreasing nanoparticle size. We attribute this behavior to surface anisotropy enhanced by the specific occupancy of 3d levels in Mn, which produces a high-spin–low-spin transition not present in NiO nanoparticles.

A striking magnetization anisotropy in thin films of vanadium-doped stannic oxide is reported and investigated. The single-crystalline Sn1-xVxO2 (0≤x≤0.1) thin films, grown on Al2O3 substrate, are (101) oriented and exhibit a temperature-dependent in-plane anisotropy of the saturation magnetization. The in-plane magnetic moment reaches a maximum close to the [101¯] direction, but the anisotropy axis is incompatible with the crystalline structure of the SnO2 thin films. However, it is consistent with V atoms occupying uniaxially distorted octahedral interstices, thus breaking the symmetry of the film. The moment anisotropy decreases gradually with increasing temperature and persists to temperatures above room temperature. It is modeled as a spin-orbit effect involving the hopping of orbital-current loops, as contrasted to isotropic Heisenberg exchange, and the temperature dependence of the magnetism is explained on the basis of a thermal admixture of nearly degenerate crystal-field states. The phenomena may be relevant to a wide range of dilute magnetic oxides.

Structural and magnetic properties of substituted L10 compounds are investigated. Focus is on L10 structures of the general type ABC2, where each second layer of the original structure is replaced by a checkerboard of A and B atoms. At low temperatures, L10 compounds with ABC2 stoichiometry will segregate into AC and AB L10 phases, forming an ordered ABC2 compound or exhibit a transition into a more complicated structure. The ordering has a strong impact on the magnetism of the alloys, especially on the anisotropy. The hypothetical new ternary compounds are of potential interest in various areas of magnetism, including magnetic recording and permanent magnetism.

It is investigated how magnetic impurities modify the behavior of metallic clusters. Two complementary models are used, an s-d exchange model with a stable magnetic moment and a Hubbard-type Kondo model. The s-d and s-f interactions are modeled by a pointlike potential, as in the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida approximation, but the perturbed levels are obtained by diagonalizing the interaction matrix rather than using perturbation theory. The spin polarization of the conduction electrons due to the magnetic impurities leads to a reduction of the highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital splitting. A particularly interesting case is Pt, which is used in catalysis and whose well-delocalized 5d electrons are easily spin polarized by conduction electrons. Strikingly, the simplest realization of the Kondo effect is reproduced by an unrestricted Hartree-Fock approximation.

The thermal stability of the information stored in magnetic recording media is determined by a complex hierarchy. The leading consideration is the static or zero-temperature magnetization reversal complemented by the intrinsic temperature dependence of the micromagnetic parameters. Thermally activated Arrhenius (or Néel-Brown) processes modify the reversal by realizing paths close to static reversal, whereas “giant fluctuations” corresponding to reversal fields much higher than the nucleation field can safely be excluded. Thermally activated reversal in very thin elongated nanoparticles limits the thermal stability of magnetic recording media but degenerates into coherent rotation as the temperature is lowered, thereby reconciling micromagnetism and thermodynamics. A particularly complicated situation is encountered in alloys, where sublattices containing heavy transition-metal atoms act like earthquakes that modify the energy landscape.

The temperature dependence of the spin polarization of type-I half-metallic ferromagnets is investigated and compared with that of other magnetic materials, such as semimetals, strong and weak ferromagnets, and exchange-enhanced Pauli paramagnets. Stable atomic moments, as realized by strong intra-atomic exchange, exhibit a nonzero spin-down density of states (DOS) at finite temperatures. This thermal spin mixing means that the conductivity of the “insulating” spin channel is always nonzero and that half-metallic ferromagnetism is an idealized limit. At zero temperature, similar effects are caused by intersublattice interactions, spin–orbit coupling and crystal imperfections. With increasing interatomic hopping, the moment becomes unstable, and Stoner-type thermal excitations yield an additional reduction of the spin polarization. In the Stoner limit, the hybridization gap closes far below the Curie temperature, and the corresponding transition temperature T* increases with increasing hybridization gap and decreasing band width. Correlations are analyzed by a version of the Kondo model and by an unrestricted Hartree–Fock approximation, and it is argued that correlations are less important than the leading one-electron contributions.

The atomic-scale and mesoscopic physics of magnetic nanostructures is reviewed. Emphasis is on the description of magnetic phenomena and properties by analytical models, as contrasted to numerical approaches. Nanostructuring affects the magnetic properties on different length scales, from a few interatomic distances for intrinsic properties such as magnetization and anisotropy to more than 10 nm for extrinsic properties, such as coercivity. The consideration includes static and dynamic mechanisms, as well as nanoscale finite-temperature effects. Some explicitly discussed examples are Curie- temperature changes due to nanostructuring, the effect of narrow and constricted walls, the potential use of magnetic nanodots for finite-temperature quantum computing, and exchange-coupled hard-soft nanocomposites. The temperature dependence of extrinsic properties reflects the atomic-scale static or ‘intrinsic’ temperature dependence of the free-energy barriers and thermally activated dynamic or ‘extrinsic’ jumps over metastable free-energy barriers.

In this paper we report results on the synthesis and magnetic properties of L10 FePt nanocomposite films. Three fabrication methods have been developed to produce high-anisotropy FePt films: non-epitaxial growth of (0 0 1)-oriented FePt:X (X=Ag, C) composite films that might be used for perpendicular media; monodispersed FePt(CFx) core–shell nanocluster-assembled films grown with a gas-aggregation technique and having uniform cluster size and narrow size distribution; and template-mediated self-assembled FePt clusters prepared with chemical synthesis by a hydrogen reduction technique, which has a high potential for controlling both cluster size and orientation. The magnetic properties are controllable through variations in the nanocluster properties and nanostructure. Analytical and numerical simulations have been done for these films, providing better understanding of the magnetization reversal mechanisms. The films show promise for development as magnetic recording media at extremely high areal densities.

The behavior of magnetic nanostructures reflects both nanoscale features, such as particle size and geometry, and the intrinsic properties of the magnetic substances. For example, the magnetization reversal in nanodots crucially depends on the anisotropy of the dot material. Furthermore, nanostructures are often used as bulk materials, so that their extrinsic properties must be evaluated from the point of view of bulk materials. This appendix summarizes the characteristics of some important classes of magnetic materials and provides exemplary data.

The structure of micromagnetic energy barriers responsible for slow magnetization processes is investigated. Thermally activated slow magnetization processes proceed over energy barriers whose structure is determined by the micromagnetic free energy. This restricts the range of physically meaningful energy barriers. An analysis of the underlying micromagnetic free energy yields power-law dependences with exponents of 3/2 or 2 for physically reasonable models. This must be contrasted to other power laws, such as linear laws, and to 1/H-type dependences. In the limit of small energy barriers, corrections to the Arrhenius law become important. In this regime, there is no simple expression for the relaxation behavior, but two requirements help to judge models and approximations. First, at low temperatures, the Arrhenius-type power laws must be reproduced. Second, as in the Arrhenius limit, the approaches must correspond to well-defined energy landscapes.

A generalized Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) approach is used to calculate indirect exchange interactions between localized spins in doped magnetic semiconductors. The exchange is mediated by electron or hole states centered around shallow impurities. The states hybridize and may or may not form a narrow band, but in both cases, the exchange is obtained from the hybridized states by second-order perturbation theory. As in the free-electron RKKY model, both positive and negative exchange interactions occur, but the strength Jij of the exchange is no longer a unique function of the distance between the localized spins. A closed expression with simple geometric interpretation is obtained in the dilute limit of exchange mediated by two overlapping orbitals.

Nanostructured FePt: M (M=C,Ag,Cu) perpendicular magnetic recording media are investigated by numerical simulations and model calculations. Both intra- and intergranular exchanges are considered, and it is assumed that the interaction through the matrix is mediated by conduction electrons. Several limits, including free-electron-like Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interactions, are considered. The atomic modeling yields effective intergranular coupling strengths that depend on both cluster radius and distance, on the magnetic properties of the clusters, and on the electronic nature of the medium. In the simulations, the exchange is approximated by a thin shell with reduced exchange and zero anisotropy. The simulations show that intergranular exchange reduces the coercivity of the system, and the magnetization reversal proceeds in a regime between localized nucleation and discrete domain-wall pinning, depending on the intergranular exchange. Coercivity and loop-shape reduction also depend on the geometry of the particle system.

The temperature dependence of the magnetic anisotropy of ferromagnetic materials is analyzed. Simple ferromagnets, such as Fe and Co, obey the m=n (n+1)/2 power laws predicted by the Callen and Callen [Phys. Rev. 129, 578 (1963)] theory, but in alloys, the applicability of the theory is an exception rather than the rule. Many alloys, such as the rare-earth transition-metal intermetallics and L10 magnets, violate a basic assumption of the theory, namely, that the single-ion anisotropy and the spontaneous magnetization have the same origin. This is the reason for significant deviations from the Callen and Callen behavior, such as the m=2 law we obtained for L10 alloys.

A key trend in modern science and technology is the exploitation of phenomena occurring on length scales between 1 nm and 1000 nm. This nanotechnology or nanoscience approach has lead to the emergence of fi elds such as nanobiology, nanoelectronics, and nanochemistry. An important and—in many respects—pivotal area is nanomagnetism. From early precursors in the first half of the 20th century to recent developments, magnetic nanostructures are interesting scientific objects with many present and emerging applications, including permanent magnets, soft magnets, magnetic recording media, sensors, and structures and materials for spin electronics. A key advantage of artificial magnetic nanostructures is their ability to surpass the performance of naturally occurring magnetic compounds. Examples are nanostructured permanent and soft magnets. Magnetic nanostructures can be produced in a variety of geometries, such as nanoparticles, nanowires, dots and antidots, particulate thin films, nanotubes, nanojunctions, and nanorings. In addition, much progress has recently been made towards tuning the chemistry and crystallographic microstructure for a given geometry. For example, nanotubes can be produced as soft- and hard-magnetic structures. A fascinating aspect of nanomagnetism is that the involved physics goes beyond a mixture of atomic-scale and macroscopic effects. The main competition between electrostatic interactions, such as exchange, and relativistic corrections, such as spin-orbit coupling, is organized on a length scale of a few nanometers. This gives rise to a variety of zero- and finite-temperature phenomena governing the static and dynamic behavior of the structures. This book is devoted to the fabrication, characterization, experimental investigation, theoretical understanding, and utilization of advanced magnetic nanostructures. Focus is on various types of 'bottom-up' and ‘top-down’ artificial nanostructures, as contrasted to naturally occurring magnetic nanostr

The fabrication and magnetism of L10 nanostructures with different shapes (such as nanoparticles and nanotubes) is investigated. These nanostructures are produced by hydrogen processing and focused ion beam milling. The structures exhibit interesting reversal modes and are of present or potential interest for sensors and imaging, as well as magnetic recording.

Magnetization processes in particulate L10 FePt nanostructures are investigated by model calculations and numerical simulations. The systems considered include anisotropic nanograins embedded in non-magnetic matrix; randomly oriented nanoclusters embedded in a C matrix, and nanocomposites of FePt particles in a semi-hard matrix. The reversal mechanisms depend on both intra- and intergranular features. Quasi-coherent rotation dominates the reversal in weakly-coupled granular magnets, but interface imperfections yield a disproportionately strong coercivity reduction. Strong intergranular exchange leads to a transition to a discrete pinning regime, which is accompanied by a coercivity maximum.

The potential use of interacting magnetic nanodots for quantum computing (qubit) operations is investigated by model calculations. The quantum entanglement of the low-lying ferromagnetic states, as quantified by the concurrence, exhibits a resonant peak whose position and width depend on parameters such as dot anisotropy, interdot exchange, and external field gradient. The maximum operation temperature is proportional to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the dot material. A specific condition is that the dots are sufficiently small so that the interatomic exchange ensures a coherent magnetization state and quantum coherence at finite temperatures. From a material point of view, there is a quite rigid upper limit of about 100 K, but to avoid decoherence it will be necessary to sacrifice a substantial fraction of this temperature, probably at least one order of magnitude.

FePt L10-structured clusters were synthesized by hydrogen reduction of Fe(NO3)3•9H2O and H2PtCl6•6H2O mixtures within the pores of alumina. They were released by dissolving the alumina matrix and capped with organic surfactants. After a series of chemical treatments, clusters with an average diameter of about 11 nm were precipitated. The clusters were drop casted onto ordered nanoporous arrays. Clusters reaching the bottom of the pores formed an ordered magnetic array. The corresponding magnetic film exhibits distinct anisotropic behavior caused by the external magnetic field.

In exchange-coupled two-phase permanent magnets, the length scale of soft phase is limited to about twice of the domain-wall width of the hard phase. To optimize the energy product, it is important to realize this length experimentally. In this work, we investigate the Sm–Co/Co hard/soft multilayers with varying thickness of soft phase layers. On rapidly annealing, the multilayered hard-soft structure forms. Transmission electron microscopy micrography confirms that the multilayer structure is retained after the annealing. Single-phase-like hysteresis loops are obtained for samples with Co layers up to 13 nm thick. This behavior indicates that the soft phase is well exchange coupled to the neighboring SmCoz hard phase. An optimal energy product of 16.6 MGOe has been obtained. Longer annealing time results in more diffusion at the interface and yields two-phase-like hysteresis behavior. Direct current demagnetization measurement shows exchange-spring behavior of the samples annealed for longer time. Micromagnetic simulations with varying interface exchange coupling have been performed to compare with the experimental results.

The origin and physical nature anisotropic exchange interactions is investigated. Emphasis is on nonrelativistic exchange anisotropies, as encountered, for example, in intermetallics with layered crystal structures. The summation of site-resolved exchange interactions is analyzed, and it is shown that Ruderman–Kittel-type long-range exchange yield converging exchange-stiffness expressions down to atomic length scales. In general, the resulting exchange stiffness is anisotropic, even if the interaction is mediated by an isotropic free electron gas. The determination of the mean-field Curie temperature from pair-exchange interactions requires the diagonalization of an interaction matrix, as opposed to simple site averaging.

Atomic and continuum effects in L10 magnets are investigated. Emphasis is on the competition between ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, and noncollinear order in both perfect and imperfect structures, and on the temperature dependence of the magnetic anisotropy. The applicability of micromagnetic and atomistic approaches depends on the length scales involved, but there is a broad range of phenomena where both can be used.

Magnon-plasmon interactions are modeled by considering the spin-dependent dielectric response of atoms placed in crystalline environment. Hund's exchange rules favor parallel spin alignment, but the strength of the exchange depends on the displacement of the centers of gravity of the atomic spin-up and spin-down electron charge clouds. The intra-atomic exchange is modeled by considering a Hubbard-type interaction, and interatomic interaction then yields a k-space dispersion. The eigenmodes of the plasma are a mixture of spin-up and spin-down degrees of freedom, described by a 2×2 interaction matrix. Minority and majority bands yield different plasmon frequencies. However, these modes are not orthogonal but coupled by intra-atomic exchange and obtained by explicit matrix diagonalization. The effect is largest for small wave vectors, in agreement with experiment. ©2006 American Institute of Physics

We investigated magnetic properties and L10 phase formation of FePt films by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and high current-density ion-beam irradiation. The sample prepared by RTA at 550 °C has (001) texture and strong magnetic perpendicular anisotropy with Hc equal to 6 kOe. The sample irradiated at 5.04 µA/cm2 has Hc equal to 10 kOe but has isotropic magnetic properties due to the (111) texture. The magnetic correlation length of the ion-irradiated sample was about twice as large as that of the RTA sample. This may be due to the inhomogeneity of the L10 phase formation in the ion-irradiated film.

The solid state reactions and structural evolution in nanocrystalline FePt powders during mechanical ball milling at 77 K and subsequent annealing have been investigated. Above 310 °C the formation of L10 FePt is observed. As the milling time increases, the enthalpy evolved during the transformations is reduced, whereas the corresponding activation energy increases. For accelerating the ordering process a fine lamellar structure of Fe and Pt is favourable.

Magnetic properties of Mn-doped ZnO strongly depend on sample preparation and annealing. While the samples sintered in air at 500 °C show ferromagnetism at room temperature, those sintered at 900 °C are paramagnetic. The samples sintered in vacuum show a ferromagnetic transition at 45 K, which is attributed to ferrimagnetic Mn3O4. With an increase of annealing temperature, the ferromagnetism observed at room temperature in the low-temperature-sintered samples is gradually suppressed and finally completely removed. These results can be understood by considering a metastable ferromagnetic phase and its stability under varying temperatures and atmospheres.

This paper reports results on the synthesis and magnetic properties of L10:X nanocomposite films, where L10 = FePt, CoPt, and X = C, Ag, etc. Two fabrication methods are discussed: nonepitaxial growth of oriented perpendicular media, and monodispersed nanoparticle-assembled films grown with a gas-aggregation source. The magnetic properties are controllable through variations in the nanocluster properties and nanostructure. The films show promise for development as recording media at extremely high areal densities.

The processing, structure, and magnetism of highly coercive Sm–Co and FePt thin-film nanostructures are investigated. The structures include 1:5 based Sm–Co–Cu–Ti magnets, particulate FePt:C thin films, and FePt nanotubes. As in other systems, the coercivity depends on texture and imperfections, but there are some additional features. A specific coercivity mechanism in particulate media is a discrete pinning mode intermediate between Stoner-Wohlfarth rotation and ordinary domain-wall pinning. This mechanism yields a coercivity maximum for intermediate intergranular exchange and explains the occurrence of coercivities of 5 T in particulate Sm–Co–Cu–Ti magnets.

The magnetic ground state and the magnetization reversal of aspherical nanoparticles are investigated by model calculations and micromagnetic simulations. Essential deviations from Kittel's domain theory occur for very flat and very elongated particles, for particles whose size is comparable to the domain-wall width, and when the particle shape is strongly nonellipsoidal. For example, the single-domain state of square rod is much less stable than that of comparable elongated ellipsoids, because most of the surface charge of long ellipsoids is located on the sides. Another specific feature of flat particles is suppression of the curling mode.

FePt and Fe3O4 nanotubes are produced by hydrogen reduction in nanochannels of porous alumina templates and investigated by electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis, and magnetic measurements. Loading the templates with a Fe chloride and Pt chloride mixture followed by hydrogen reduction at 560 °C leads to the formation of ferromagnetic FePt nanotubes in the alumina pores. Using a Fe nitrate solution, thermally decomposed at 250 °C and reduced in hydrogen for 2.5 h at the same temperature, yields Fe3O4 tubes. The length of the nanotubes is about 50 mm and their diameters range from about 150 to 220 nm, depending on the thickness of the template film and the pore diameter distribution. Reflecting the different magnetocrystalline anisotropies of the compounds, the coercivities range from 0.61 kOe for Fe3O4 to 20.9 kOe for FePt. The hysteresis is explained in terms of a tubular random-anisotropy model, which yields a diameter and anisotropy dependent transition from a curling-type mode (Fe3O4) to a localized mode (FePt).

The magnetic properties of collections of three soft magnetic nanodots with various aspect ratios are investigated. Permalloy films are first produced by dc magnetron sputtering. Focused ion beam milling is then used to mill dots, each with different shape anisotropy. We find that each of the three dots in the system has a unique switching field, and that there is significant magnetostatic coupling. Micromagnetic simulations suggest that for dot separations of less than 50 nm there exists strong interdot interaction, leading to the possibility of controlled switching of neighboring dots. This switching behavior is of interest in magnetic information processing.

FePt and Fe3O4 nanotubes are produced by hydrogen reduction in nanochannels of porous alumina templates and investigated by electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. Loading the templates with an Fe chloride and Pt chloride mixture, followed by hydrogen reduction at 560 °C, leads to the formation of ferromagnetic FePt nanotubes in the alumina pores. An Fe nitrate solution, thermally decomposed at 250 °C and reduced in hydrogen for 2.5 h at the same temperature, yields Fe3O4 tubes. The versatility of the method indicates that materials with a wide range of parameters can be produced.

—High-coercivity CoPt magnetic force microscope tips have been modified by focused ion beam milling to improve the resolution of magnetic domain images. The magnetic materials around the apex have been removed, leaving a 30-nm diameter magnetic particle at the tip end. Due to the smaller amount of magnetic material, the stray field from this new tip is significantly reduced, and the spatial resolution of the magnetic domain images is improved. The tip is used to obtain high-resolution domain images of a CoCrPt-SiO2/Ru perpendicular recording medium with linear recording densities from 800 to 1000 kfci. Magnetic patterns of 900 kfci, corresponding to a bit size of 28 nm, are well resolved. From the analysis of the power spectrum of the track profiles for these images, a spatial resolution as good as 11 nm under ambient conditions with a commercial magnetic force microscope is achieved.

The electronic band structure of ordered equiatomic compounds of 3d transition elements (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) with nonmagnetic 4d and 5d elements (Rh, Pd, Pt, Ir) are investigated by linear muffin-tin orbital calculations. The systematic study considers 3d and 4d/5d spin moments and interatomic exchange interactions, with emphasis on the comparison between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic order. Total and site-resolved exchange interactions are calculated from first principles, and the obtained exchange constants are used to estimate ordering temperatures on a mean-field level.

—The coercivity of cellular Sm-Co based permanent magnets is investigated by model calculations. The grain boundaries responsible for the pinning coercivity are modeled as planar inhomogenities with arbitrary cross-sectional geometry. The calculation yields a physically transparent integral equation for the pinning energy, whose derivative is the pinning force. The theory rationalizes experimental data on a semiquantitative level, but without adjustable parameters, and bridges the gap between smooth concentration gradients and abrupt interfaces. Explicit results are obtained for sinoidal profiles, for very thin grain boundaries, and for profiles intermediate between attractive and repulsive pinning. The corrections predicted by the present model elucidate the occurrence of coercivity when the main and grain-boundary phases have the same wall energy

The electrical resistance of a constrained domain wall in a nanojunction is investigated using micromagnetic modeling and ballistic conductance calculations. The nanojunction represents two ferromagnetic electrodes connected by a ferromagnetic wire of 10 nm in length and of a few nanometers in cross section. We find that the anisotropy of the electrodes favors a localization of the domain wall within the constriction (wire) revealing a positive domain-wall resistance. An applied magnetic field moves the domain wall toward one of the electrodes and reduces its width. This compression of the domain wall leads to a sizeable enhancement of the domain-wall resistance.

The microchemistry and magnetism of conventional and high-temperature Sm–Co permanent magnets are investigated by first-principles calculations. Particular emphasis is on the site preference for the substitution of Cu, Ti, and Zr in SmCo5 and Sm2Co17 compounds. Cu substitution is more favorable in the 1:5 phase, in agreement with experimental findings. Titanium and zirconium have positive solution energies for both the phases, with Ti(Zr) having slight preference for the 1:5 (2:17) phase. Some Zr may segregate to the phase boundaries because of its large solution energy. For Ti and Zr the dumbbell site of the 2:17 phase is preferred over the other three inequivalent cobalt sites. These results are used to discuss the observed cellular nanostructure of the high-temperature Sm–Co hard magnets with composition close to the 2:17 phase.