A study on the magnetic switching behaviour of nanostructured magnetic materials

• Published in: Scripta materialia 2003-04, Vol.48 (7), p.967-973
• Main Authors: Zweck, Josef, Bräundl, Silvia, Henzelmann, Sonia, Schneider, Markus, Otto, Stephan, Heumann, Martin, Uhlig, Thomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Interfacial magnetic properties (multilayers, magnetic quantum wells, superlattices, magnetic heterostructures); Lorentz microscopy; Magnetic domain; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Magnetic structure; Multilayer thin films; Nanostructured materials; Physics
• ISSN: 1359-6462; 1872-8456
• DOI: 10.1016/S1359-6462(02)00613-9

The micromagnetic behaviour of nanostructured multilayered magnetic materials, i.e. magnetic materials which have been structured into various shapes by electron beam lithography, are investigated. The typical lateral dimension is in the range of 200–800 nm. Lorentz electron microscopy is used to study the magnetic configurations, which arise under various external magnetic fields used to switch the particle’s magnetization from one (uniaxial) easy direction to the other. We show that it is possible to derive hysteresis loops of individual particles, and to distinguish between different geometrical shapes, using an image evaluation technique. Further, experiments have been carried out with pulsed magnetic fields to investigate the stability of the micromagnetic structure.