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Structural and Magnetic Study of Fe Stripes and Boxes Patterned by the <Atomic Saw> Method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

L. Ressier ,
H. Jaffres ,
A. Schuhl ,
F. Nguyen Van Dau ,
M. Goiran ,
J.P. Redoules ,
J.P. Peyrade  and
A.R. Fert
L. Ressier
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
H. Jaffres
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
A. Schuhl
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Central de Recherches, Thomson CSF, Domaine de Corbeville, 91404 Orsay, France
F. Nguyen Van Dau
Affiliation:
Laboratoire Central de Recherches, Thomson CSF, Domaine de Corbeville, 91404 Orsay, France
M. Goiran
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France S.N.C.M.P., INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
J.P. Redoules
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
J.P. Peyrade
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
A.R. Fert
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex, France
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Abstract

The <Atomic Saw> method has been successfully used to cut a Fe thin film, epitaxially grown onto a (001) MgO substrate, into stripes (widths ranging from 1 μm to 100 nm) and boxes (lateral sizes ranging from 1 μm to 3 μm). A structural analysis of these magnetic structures by atomic force microscopy has shown that their geometries are controlled by the plastic strain. A magnetooptical study of the Fe stripes has revealed a surprising uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with an in-plane easy axis perpendicular to the stripes. This strong anisotropy can be explained by an anisotropie relaxation of the misfit between the starting Fe film and the MgO substrate, induced by the cutting into stripes. Magnetooptical experiments on boxes have revealed that the initial cubic symmetry is recovered since, in this case, the relaxation is similar in perpendicular directions. They have also proved that their magnetization reversal is governed by nucleation phenomena.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 475: Symposium M – Magnetic Ultrathin Films, Multilayers, and Surfaces – 1997 , 1997 , 239
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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