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Spin waves offer intriguing novel perspectives for computing and signal processing, since their damping can be lower than the Ohmic losses in conventional CMOS circuits. For controlling the spatial extent and propagation of spin waves on the actual chip, magnetic domain walls show considerable potential as magnonic waveguides. However, low-loss guidance of spin waves, in particular around angled tracks, remains to be shown. Here we experimentally demonstrate that such advanced control of propagating spin waves can be obtained using natural features of magnetic order in an interlayer exchange-coupled, anisotropic ferromagnetic bilayer. Using Scanning Transmission X-Ray Microscopy, we image the generation of spin wave and their subsequent propagation across distances exceeding multiple times the wavelength, in extended planar geometries as well as along one-dimensional domain walls, which can be straight and curved. These results show routes towards the practical implementation of magnonic waveguides employing domain walls in future spin wave logic and computational circuits.

Investigations of spin waves are of great interest for both fundamental science and applications. For the excitation of spin waves with short wavelengths, it was typically necessary to either use patterned transducers with sizes on the order of the desired wavelengths or to generate such spin waves parametrically. Here, we will show a combined experimental and theoretical study of spin waves in a stacked vortex pair system formed in a NiFe/Ru/CoFeB trilayer. The magnetization dynamics was imaged by means of time-resolved scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM). Thereby, two different spin wave regimes were identified. For excitation frequencies above 500 MHz, mainly 2D plane waves within the magnetic domains were observed. However, a transition from 2D to 1D wave transport occurs for excitation frequencies below 500 MHz. In this case almost no spin waves were detected within the domains but high amplitudes were found within the 180° domain walls. An analytic and numerical analysis was done for both regimes, resulting in both a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the finite frequency gap in the spin wave dispersion relation for the ferromagnetic domains. Moreover, the dispersion relation was found to exhibit a strong non-reciprocity.

Topological spin textures such as skyrmions or vortices are attracting significant attention because of their fundamentally interesting magnetostatic and dynamic properties. In particular, magnetic vortices have been studied intensively during the past decade. Such a spin vortex consists of a planar, flux-closing magnetization curl that tilts out of the plane in the central core. Although being relatively small, the core is of crucial importance for the overall vortex structure. For a stacked trilayer geometry, two basic vortex core configurations can be expected, namely parallel (PL) and antiparallel (AP) cores. In the present contribution, we address the direct observation of both PL and AP core configurations in trilayer vortex pairs. Transmission x-ray microscopy is used to directly image the congruent cores in a Co(48)/Ru(0.8)/Ni81Fe19(43) (nm) trilayer stack. Moreover, switching between both configurations in the same vortex pair was achieved by applying high frequency in-plane magnetic fields.

Domain wall (DW) imprinting in spatially varying magnetic property thin films is a novel method to obtain thin films with new effective magnetic characteristics ranging from static to dynamic applications. In order to generate such effective material systems, light ion irradiation is an advantageous method allowing for, e. g. laterally modified exchange bias (EB) directions, making the imprinting of artificial magnetic DW patterns possible. The magnetically hybrid structures with different unidirectional anisotropy directions are unique as, e.g. a domain pattern and domain walls can be imprinted directly into the magnetic material. A reproducible nucleation and positioning of magnetic domain walls in a high density arrangement is achieved. In dependence of the applied magnetic field amplitude, the system allows for an additional defined adjustment of the magnetic configuration with varying effective magnetic anisotropy. Extended Ni19Fe81(50nm)/Ir23Mn77(7nm) thin films with an initial unidirectional anisotropy are patterned by local He-ion irradiation in the presence of a magnetic field, which is aligned perpendicular to the initial unidirectional anisotropy, and by which hybrid magnetization patterns with two different types of modulated directions of EB are obtained. The stripe width of the patterned thin films is varied down to 500 nm by one order of magnitude, being well below the distance of the magnetic Néel wall tails. The influence of the overlapping DW structures on the effective static and dynamic magnetization properties of the thin films are investigated by complementary inductive static and dynamic methods, magneto-resistive measurement techniques, by magneto-optical microscopy, and are as well supported by matching micromagnetic simulations. By this, a complete picture of spatial and temporal evolution of magnetization is derived. In a zig-zag or head-to-tail configuration a folded magnetization forms (Fig.1), in which the magnetization is modulated along the magnetic net direction perpendicular to the stripes. In an alternating head-to-head/tail-to-tail configuration charged DWs form, favoring a modulated magnetization with low angle head-to-head and tail-to-tail configurations. In all cases the remanent magnetization along the net-magnetization of the films increases with decreasing feature size. The fixed position of the artificial DWs leads to pronounced two staged quasi-static magnetization reversal and, accordingly, different dynamic magneto-static modes are excited in the magnetic meta-material (Fig. 2). We show that precessional frequencies of magnetic thin films can be directly influenced by means of high density DW imprinting (up to 104 DWs/sample). The static and dynamic magnetic response is tuned by imprinting periodic DW patterns with overlapping DW structures through selective ion irradiation. Mode coupling via dynamic magnetic charges in the periodically modulated magnetization patterns is directly provoked by adjusting the micromagnetic interface density. At the transition from the saturated magnetic phase to the domain wall phase the permeability spectra exhibit a pronounced discontinuous jump in the dynamic response, making an abrupt switch between two different dynamic states achievable. We show that the controlled introduction of micromagnetic DW objects is a unique way to tailor the effective magnetic properties of magnetic thin films. Dependencies of magnetic field angle, stripe-width and orientation of EB will be discussed. Funding from the German Science Foundation DFG through (MC9/7-2; FA314/3-2) and the Heisenberg programme of the DFG (MC9/9-1) is highly acknowledged.

Topological spin textures such as skyrmions or vortices are attracting significant attention because of their fundamentally interesting magnetostatic and dynamic properties. In particular, magnetic vortices have been studied intensively during the past decade. As shown in Fig. 1(a), such a spin vortex consists of a planar, flux-closing magnetization curl that tilts out of the plane in the central core. Vortices are typically found as the ground state of micron sized ferromagnetic thin film elements, whi- le their nanoscopic cores are being much smaller, with diameters on the order of 10 nm only. Along with fundamental investigations, proposals were also made to apply vortices for memory cells, or as oscillators in data communication devices. In this view, stacking of vortices via nonferromagnetic interlayers [cf. Fig. 1(b)] is an important issue to address, since such geometries allow for the exploitation of GMR/TMR as well as spin-torque effects.

The influence of micromagnetic objects on the dynamic magnetic excitation in magnetic thin films is studied by imprinting periodic domain wall patterns through selective ion irradiation in exchange biased Ni81Fe 19/IrMn structures. For high domain wall densities an increased precessional frequency is achieved. The zero field resonance of the domain wall state hereby depends directly on the stripe period, showing a pronounced increase with decrease of domain wall spacing. With the abrupt annihilation of magnetic domain walls with an applied bias field a jump-like decrease in precessional frequency takes place. The experimental data and micromagnetic simulations prove that the characteristic collective dynamic mode for the domain wall configurations is attributed to strongly coupled tilted magnetization structure. This is evidenced by an overlapping N��el wall structure for the narrowly spaced imprinted antiparallel unidirectional anisotropy state. The controlled introduction of high density frozen-in micromagnetic objects is a novel way to control the dynamic magnetic properties of continuous magnetic thin films.

The dynamic magnetic behavior of magnetic films has gained increased attention due to the use of magnetic films for high frequency inductors and their application as microwave filters. Moreover, the excitation and modification of spin waves has led to considerable interest in the field of magnonic crystals[1]. In general, the high frequency behavior of magnetic film stacks is determined by the material’s magnetic properties and by structural patterning. Yet, dynamic magnetization modes are not only inherent to the physical structure of magnetic films, but are also strongly influenced by e.g. ripplelike magnetic domain states[2] and as well as the pure existence of domain walls (DW)[3] in magnetic films. One way to introduce DWs in a controlled way in thin films is by local ion-irradiation[4,5,6]. In order to introduce a periodic DW pattern, extended Ni19Fe81(50nm)/Ir23Mn77(7nm) films with an initial unidirectional anisotropy are patterned by local He-ion irradiation into stripe-like twodimensional structures with periodically alternating directions of exchange bias. Magnetization patterns with zigzag oriented exchange bias directions are obtained. The influence of the DW density on static and dynamic magnetization properties is investigated for a stripe period (stripe width) from 12 μm (6 μm) down to 1 μm (500 nm). By this, exactly oriented and magnetically charged 90 N´eel-type domain walls with a DW density up to 2x103/mm are imprinted in the film. Static and dynamic magnetization properties of the thin films are analyzed by complementary methods. In Figure 1 (a) and (c) exemplary magnetization loops are presented for a stripe period of 2 μm. Perpendicular to the stripe axis an effective exchange bias field, which is caused by the magnetic interaction of the individual exchanged biased stripes, results in a net exchange bias direction. Due to DW interactions with increasing stripe period the samples correspondingly exhibit a decrease of remanent magnetization. Applying the external magnetic field parallel to the stripe axis, a two staged reversal loop is obtained. Even down to low stripe periods and despite of the straightening of magnetization the two step magnetization process remains for low stripe widths. The corresponding change of high frequency permeability maps (up to 5 GHz) with bias fields in accordance with the shown magnetization reversal loops are displayed in Fig. 1 (b) and (d). Increasing the external magnetic field perpendicular to the stripes two distinct precessional frequencies, corresponding to an acoustic and an optical dynamic mode, are exhibited over the whole field range (Fig. 1(b)). Applying the field parallel to the stripe axis, in the central plateaued region (Fig. 1(d)) a bi-modal dynamic behavior is observed, that transforms into a single mode with higher permeability outside the plateau region. With increasing stripe period, the precessional frequencies at zero magnetic field decrease. The occurring magnetic configurations are verified by high resolution Kerr microscopy in the longitudinal mode, examples of which are given in Fig. 2. The displayed images for different applied field values match the situation in Fig. 1 (c) and (d). The domain imaging data proves the existence of a pronounced magnetic modulation with high stability to magnetic fields even for a highly remanent state. The domain states, shown in Fig. 2 (b, c, d), exist in a magnetic field range, which is in accordance with the plateau in the magnetization loop and the change in the permeability spectrum around zero field. Quasi-static and dynamic behavior are explained in terms of an increased domain wall mediated configurational magnetic anisotropy that results from variable magnetic charges at the imprinted domain walls due to the zigzagged alignment of magnetization. The magnetic charges increase with the rotational magnetization process. The DW stabilization induced effect has also significant influence on the dynamic magnetic characteristics. The effect of DW orientation relative to the alignment of exchange bias will be discussed. The controlled introduction of high density and locked micromagnetic objects opens new ways to control the static and dynamic magnetic properties of continuous magnetic thin films. Funding from the German Science Foundation DFG through the grants MC9/7-2, FA314/3-2, and the Heisenberg programme of the DFG (MC9/9-1) is highly acknowledged. [1] A. V. Chumak, A. A. Serga, B. Hillebrands, M. P. Kostylev, Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 022508 (2008) [2] C. Patschureck, K. Lenz, M. O. Liedke, M. U. Lutz, T. Strache, I. M¨onch, R. Sch¨afer, L. Schultz, and J. McCord, Phys. Rev. B 86, 054426 (2012) [3] U. Queitsch, J. McCord, A. Neudert, R. Sch¨afer, L. Schultz, K. Rott, H. Br¨uckl, J. Appl. Phys. 100, 093911 (2006) [4] J. Fassbender, J. McCord, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 320, 579 (2008) [5]C. Hamann, R. Mattheis, I. M¨onch, J. Fassbender, L. Schultz, J. McCord, Magnetization dynamics of magnetic domain wall imprinted magnetic films, submitted [6] J. Tr¨utzschler, K. Sentosun, M. Langer, I. M¨onch, R. Mattheis, J. Fassbender, J. McCord, Magnetoresistive and domain investigations of zigzag folded magnetization structures, submitted

We report on the response of multilayer spin textures to static magnetic fields. Coupled magnetic vortex pairs in trilayer elements (ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic/ferromagnetic) are imaged directly by means of layer selective magnetic x-ray microscopy. We observe two different circulation configurations with parallel and opposing senses of magnetization rotation at remanence. Upon application of a field, all of the vortex pairs investigated react with a displacement of their cores. For purely dipolar coupled pairs, the individual core displacements are similar to those of an isolated single layer vortex but also a noticeable effect of the mutual stray fields is detected. Vortex pairs that are linked by an additional interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) mainly exhibit a layer-congruent response. We find that –apart from a possible decoupling at higher fields– these strict IEC vortex pairs can be described by a single layer model with effective material parameters. This result implies the possibility to design multilayer spin structures with arbitrary effective magnetization.

We investigated patterning of magnetic thin films by ion implantation. As shown in Ref. 1 by using ion implantation of an exchange coupled Fe/Cr/Fe system one can control the strength and sign of the antiferromagnetic (AF) coupling. Starting with a synthetic AF (SAF) trilayer (Co90Fe10/Ru/Co90Fe10) we used lithographic masks to irradiate spatially restricted areas. By doing this the trilayer structure was intermixed and resulted in ferromagnetic (FM) patterned elements surrounded by a SAF trilayer. At low fields the magnetization in the two Co90Fe10 layers of the SAF is antiparallel to each other and therefore behaves like an environment with a much lower susceptibility than the soft-magnetic Co90Fe10 film. The advantage of patterning by implantation compared to etching is that the magnetic elements don’t have a structural edge which usually is not free from roughness. The boundary of the patterned structures is only a magnetic boundary. Comparing to a previously used method, where we reduced the saturation magnetization locally by implanting Cr ions into a Ni81Fe19 layer [2], the method presented here needs a much lower ion fluence and therefore results in less irradiation damage and sputter losses. The patterning was done by implanting Co ions with an energy of 80 keV into the following stack structure (deposited by dc-sputtering in an UHV vacuum system onto an oxidized Si wafer): Ta(4nm)/Co90Fe10(10nm)/Ru(1.15nm)/Co90Fe10(10nm)/Ru(3nm). Using optical lithography a mask was formed in photoresist and partly removed. At the used fluence of 5×1015 cm-2 the Co-ions intermixed the two Co90Fe10 layers with the Ru interlayer in the open areas of the mask (shown in Fig. 1 is a simulation of the intermixing during implantation using the Tridyn software package [3]). By this method FM elements were created that are surrounded by an AF-coupled Co90Fe10 bilayer. The magnetization reversal and domain structures were compared to patterned FM Ta(4nm)/Co90Fe10(20nm)/Ru(3nm) where the structures are etched. Magnetic domain imaging was done using wide-field Kerr microscopy. By analyzing the gray scale intensity of individual stripes the magnetization loops of the FM stripes could be extracted. In the etched 20 µm wide stripes domains with anti-parallel magnetization and 180° domain walls are formed throughout the stripe during hard axis magnetization reversal. In the stripes surrounded by the SAF the magnetization is evolving into a different pattern. Along the FM-SAF interface edge domains evolve that depend on the magnetic field history. Fig. 2 shows the domain states during hard axis reversal for the implanted and etched sample as well as the hysteresis loops for the two different samples. The implanted sample has a smaller coercivity. Therefore even a small misalignment of the magnetic field with the hard axis has a stronger influence than in the etched sample. So in the implanted sample the magnetization in the center of the stripe is turning towards one direction due to the external field but the magnetization at the edge does not flip and is forming an edge domain. This can also explain the different domain size in the two images shown in Fig. 2. The smaller coercivity indicates that there are less pinning sites in the implanted sample compared to the etched stripes. In narrower stripes with a nominal width of 2 µm Hc and Hk are the same for the etched and implanted stripes. Also here the coercivity is smaller in the implanted sample. The different anisotropy field for the implanted and etched stripes is caused from a different resulting width of the FM stripes for the two different preparation methods (stripe width obtained from AFM/MFM microscopy, not shown here). To summarize, we used ion implantation to pattern extended magnetic thin films into elements of different sizes without introducing additional structural edges. Only the magnetic behavior is patterned (FM and SAF) and no structural edges are created. By using asymmetric Co90Fe10 thicknesses also patterning into areas of high and low effective saturation magnetization is possible. More examples of the resulting magnetic behavior will be shown during the presentation. Support by DFG (FA 314/3 and MC 9/7) is gratefully acknowledged

Magnetic patterning by means of ion-implantation is an advanced technique to fabricate ferromagnetic micro-/nanostructures. In this case antiferromagnetically exchange coupled trilayers, consisting of two Co90Fe10 layers with a Ru interlayer, were used. The ion induced intermixing of the interlayer with its surrounding magnetic layers alters the coupling to a ferromagnetic one. Therefore Co ions with energies of 40-80 keV and a fluence of 5·1015 cm−2 were used. Hence, applying masks, ferromagnetically coupled micro-/nanometer sized elements (stripes, squares, circles etc.), embedded in a so-called artificial antiferromagnetic environment, have been fabricated. These structures were characterized by the use of Kerr-microscopy and MOKE-magnetometry to determine the mutual influence of the ferromagnetic elements with the antiferromagnetically coupled environment. Also their magnetic switching behavior was compared to etched single ferromagnetic structures. Domain pinning at the element boundaries was observed.

Ion implantation is a standard process in semiconductor tech¬nology. However, since a doping of metals typically does not have such a tremendous effect as compared to semiconductors ion implantation in metals to achieve a desired electrical, optical or magnetic property is much less explored. A combination of litho-graphy and ion implantation to achieve a lateral ion implantation pattern is a novel route to design and construct artificial materials like photonic or magnonic crystal which rely on the local band gap or spin wave dispersion engineering [1]. The contribution will provide an overview over the different physical mechanisms which allow modifying and tailoring the dynamical magnetic properties, i. e., magnetic damping even in an anisotropic fashion, aiming at the creation of new functional materials. In one example [2] it is demonstrated that the mag¬netic damping parameter in a ferromagnetic/antiferromag¬ne¬tic/ferro¬magnetic trilayer stack can be continuously and spatially varied between two extremal values (see Fig. 1). In a second example [3] the creation of a lateral magnetization pattern by ion implantation gives rise to additional and anisotropic relaxation channels. Potential areas of application are magnonic crystals and band-stop filters in the GHz range. Acknowledgement: This work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB491, FA 314/3, FA314/6-1 and MC 9/7. [1] J. Fassbender, J. McCord, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 320, 579 (2008). [2] J. McCord, T. Strache, I. Mönch, R. Mattheis, J. Fassbender, Phys. Rev. B 83, 224407 (2011). [3] I. Barsukov, F. M. Römer, R. Meckenstock, K. Lenz, J. Lindner, S. Hemken to Krax, A. Banholzer, M. Körner, J. Grebing, J. Fassbender, M. Farle, Phys. Rev. B 84, 140410(R) (2011).

Current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) magnetic tunnel junctions (MgO-MTJ) have been prepared using electron beam lithography as well as argon ion beam etching. A tantalum hardmask was utilized for pattern transfer. The size of the elliptical nanopillars could be decreased down to 90nm x 150 nm while preserving a TMR ratio of 92.5 %. TEM images proof the absence of redepositions at the MgO layer edge and give an insight into the interface quality. Magnetization switching was performed using either static magnetic fields and/or dc current (spin torque). The nanopillars could be characterized at temperatures ranging from 5 K to 150 K and room temperature. The analysis of magnetization dynamics included single-shot time-resolved magnetoresistance measurements as well as dc current induced oscillations of the free-layer magnetization.