Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “ferromagnetic materials”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Synthetic antiferromagnet-based spin Josephson oscillator

Two easy-plane ferromagnetic layers, antiferromagnetically coupled through a thin nonmagnetic metal layer, form the magnetic analog of a Josephson junction. Additionally, a current driven spin chemical potential drives a 2π precession of the in-plane magnetization of each ferromagnet. The participation of the full magnetic moment in the 2π precession maximizes the giant magnetoresistance and the ac output power. The frequency can be continuously tuned by a dc bias. An applied ac bias results in a time-averaged magnetoresistance with Shapiro-like steps. The multistate mode-locking behavior exhibited by the Shapiro steps may be exploited for applications such as microwave detectors and neuromorphic computing. They may also serve as an experimental signature of spin superfluidity.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Light induced electron spin resonance properties of van der Waals CrX 3 (X = Cl, I) crystals

The research on layered van der Waals (vdW) magnets is rapidly progressing owing to exciting fundamental science and potential applications. In bulk crystal form, CrCl 3 is a vdW antiferromagnet with in-plane ferromagnetic ordering below 17 K, and CrI 3 is a vdW ferromagnet below 61 K. In this paper, we report on the electron spin resonance (ESR) properties of CrCl 3 and CrI 3 single crystals upon photo-excitation in the visible range. We noticed remarkable changes in the ESR spectra upon illumination. In the case of CrCl 3 , at 10 K, the ESR signal is shifted from g = 1.492 (dark) to 1.661 (light), the linewidth increased from 376 to 506 Oe, and the signal intensity is reduced by 1.5 times. Most interestingly, the observed change in the signal intensity is reversible when the light is cycled on/off. We observed almost no change in the ESR spectral parameters in the paramagnetic phase (>20 K) upon illumination. Upon photo-excitation of CrI 3 , the ESR signal intensity is reduced by 1.9 times; the g-value increased from 1.956 to 1.990; the linewidth increased from 1170 to 1260 Oe at 60 K. These findings are discussed by taking into account the skin depth, the slow relaxation mechanism, and the appearance of low-symmetry fields at the photo-generated Cr 2+ Jahn–Teller centers. Such an increase in the g-value as a result of photo-generated Cr 2+ ions is further supported by our many-body wavefunction calculations. This work has the potential to extend to monolayer vdWs magnets by combining ESR spectroscopy with optical excitation and detection.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Interfacial spin–orbit torques

Spin–orbit torques offer a promising mechanism for electrically controlling magnetization dynamics in nanoscale heterostructures. While spin–orbit torques occur predominately at interfaces, the physical mechanisms underlying these torques can originate in both the bulk layers and at interfaces. Classifying spin–orbit torques based on the region that they originate in provides clues as to how to optimize the effect. While most bulk spin–orbit torque contributions are well studied, many of the interfacial contributions allowed by symmetry have yet to be fully explored theoretically and experimentally. To facilitate progress, we review interfacial spin–orbit torques from a semiclassical viewpoint and relate these contributions to recent experimental results. In this study, we show the relationship between different interface transport parameters within the same model. For charges and spins flowing perpendicular to the interface, interfacial spin–orbit coupling both modifies the mixing conductance of the magnetoelectronic circuit theory and gives rise to spin memory loss. For in-plane electric fields, interfacial spin–orbit coupling gives rise to torques described by spin–orbit filtering, spin swapping, and precession. In addition, these same interfacial processes generate spin currents that flow into the non-magnetic layer. For in-plane electric fields in trilayer structures, the spin currents generated at the interface between one ferromagnetic layer and the non-magnetic spacer layer can propagate through the non-magnetic layer to produce novel torques on the other ferromagnetic layer.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Pure spin current phenomena

Spintronic phenomena and devices have evolved from exploiting spin-polarized current to pure spin current. A pure spin current can more efficiently deliver spin angular momentum with fewer or no charge carriers, enabling spin–orbit torque switching in ferromagnets. The prospects of antiferromagnetic spintronics, especially electrical switching, remain perplexing and controversial. Here, we describe some recent advances, outstanding issues, challenges, and prospects of pure spin current.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

State-resolved ultrafast charge and spin dynamics in [Co/Pd] multilayers

We use transient absorption spectroscopy with circularly polarized x rays to detect laser-excited hole states below the Fermi level and compare their dynamics with that of unoccupied states above the Fermi level in ferromagnetic [Co/Pd] multilayers. While below the Fermi level, an instantaneous and significantly stronger demagnetization is observed, above the Fermi level, the demagnetization is delayed by 35 ± 10 fs. This provides a direct visualization of how ultrafast demagnetization proceeds via initial spin-flip scattering of laser-excited holes to the subsequent formation of spin waves.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Progress toward picosecond on-chip magnetic memory

Here, we offer a perspective on the prospects of ultrafast spintronics and opto-magnetism as a pathway to high-performance, energy-efficient, and non-volatile embedded memory in digital integrated circuit applications. Conventional spintronic devices, such as spin-transfer-torque magnetic-resistive random-access memory (STT-MRAM) and spin–orbit torque MRAM, are promising due to their non-volatility, energy-efficiency, and high endurance. STT-MRAMs are now entering into the commercial market; however, they are limited in write speed to the nanosecond timescale. Improvement in the write speed of spintronic devices can significantly increase their usefulness as viable alternatives to the existing CMOS-based devices. In this article, we discuss recent studies that advance the field of ultrafast spintronics and opto-magnetism. An optimized ferromagnet–ferrimagnet exchange-coupled magnetic stack, which can serve as the free layer of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), can be optically switched in as fast as ~3 ps. Integration of ultrafast magnetic switching of a similar stack into an MTJ device has enabled electrical readout of the switched state using a relatively larger tunneling magnetoresistance ratio. Purely electronic ultrafast spin–orbit torque induced switching of a ferromagnet has been demonstrated using ~6 ps long charge current pulses. We conclude our Perspective by discussing some of the challenges that remain to be addressed to accelerate ultrafast spintronics technologies toward practical implementation in high-performance digital information processing systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Absorption of transverse spin current in ferromagnetic NiCu: Dominance of bulk dephasing over spin-flip scattering

In ferromagnetic metals, transverse spin currents are thought to be absorbed via dephasing—i.e., destructive interference of spins precessing about the strong exchange field. Yet, due to the ultrashort coherence length of ≈1 nm in typical ferromagnetic thin films, it is difficult to distinguish dephasing in the bulk from spin-flip scattering at the interface. Here, to assess which mechanism dominates, we examine transverse spin-current absorption in ferromagnetic NiCu alloy films with reduced exchange fields. We observe that the coherence length increases with decreasing Curie temperature, as weaker dephasing in the film bulk slows down spin absorption. Moreover, nonmagnetic Cu impurities do not diminish the efficiency of spin-transfer torque from the absorbed spin current. Our findings affirm that the transverse spin current is predominantly absorbed by dephasing inside the nanometer-thick ferromagnetic metals, even with high impurity contents.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Brillouin light scattering study of the spin-wave magnetic field dependence in a magnetic hybrid system made of an artificial spin-ice structure and a film underlayer

We present a combined Brillouin light scattering (BLS) and micromagnetic simulation investigation of the magnetic-field-dependent spin-wave spectra in a hybrid structure made of permalloy (NiFe) artificial spin-ice (ASI) systems, composed of stadium-shaped nanoislands, deposited on the top of an unpatterned permalloy film with a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The thermal spin-wave spectra were recorded by BLS as a function of the magnetic field applied along the symmetry direction of the ASI sample. Magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry was used to measure the hysteresis loops in the same orientation as the BLS measurements. Here, the frequency and the intensity of several spin-wave modes detected by BLS were measured as a function of the applied magnetic field. Micromagnetic simulations enabled us to identify the modes in terms of their frequency and spatial symmetry and to extract information about the existence and strength of the dynamic coupling, relevant only to a few modes of a given hybrid system. Using this approach, we suggest a way to understand if the dynamic coupling between ASI and film modes is present or not, with interesting implications for the development of future three-dimensional magnonic applications and devices.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

Large ordered moment with strong easy-plane anisotropy and vortex-domain pattern in the kagome ferromagnet Fe 3 Sn

We report the magnetic anisotropy of kagome bilayer ferromagnet Fe 3 Sn probed by the bulk magnetometry and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) on high-quality single crystals. The dependence of magnetization on the orientation of the external magnetic field reveals strong easyplane magnetocrystalline anisotropy and anisotropy of the saturation magnetization. The leading magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant shows a monotonous increase from $\mathrm{K_1$≈ –1.0 \times 10^6 J/m^3}$ at 300 K to $\mathrm{–1.3 \times 10^6 J/m^3}$ at 2 K. Our ab initio electronic structure calculations yield the value of total magnetic moment of 7.1$μ_Β$/$f.u.$ and a magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy density of –0.57 $\mathrm{meV/}$$f.u.$ $\mathrm{(–1.62 \times 10^6J/m^3)}$ both being in reasonable agreement with the experimental values. The MFM imaging reveals micrometer-scale magnetic vortices with weakly pinned cores that vanish at the saturation field of ~3T applied perpendicular to the kagome plane. The observed vortex-domain structure is well reproduced by the micromagnetic simulations, using the experimentally determined value of the anisotropy and exchange stiffness.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

From prediction to experimental realization of ferroelectric wurtzite Al1− x Gd x N alloys

AlN-based alloys find widespread application in high-power microelectronics, optoelectronics, and electromechanics. The realization of ferroelectricity in wurtzite AlN-based heterostructural alloys has opened up the possibility of directly integrating ferroelectrics with conventional microelectronics based on tetrahedral semiconductors, such as Si, SiC, and III–Vs, enabling compute-in-memory architectures, high-density data storage, and more. The discovery of AlN-based wurtzite ferroelectrics has been driven to date by chemical intuition and empirical explorations. Here, we demonstrate the computationally-guided discovery and experimental demonstration of new ferroelectric wurtzite Al1−xGdxN alloys. First-principles calculations indicate that the minimum energy pathway for switching changes from a collective to an individual switching process with a lower overall energy barrier, at a rare-earth fraction x with x > 0.10–0.15. Experimentally, ferroelectric switching is observed at room temperature in Al1−xGdxN films with x > 0.12, which strongly supports the switching mechanisms in wurtzite ferroelectrics proposed previously [Lee et al., Sci. Adv. 10, eadl0848 (2024)]. This is also the first demonstration of ferroelectricity in an AlN-based alloy with a magnetic rare-earth element, which could pave the way for additional functionalities such as multiferroicity and opto-ferroelectricity in this exciting class of AlN-based materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Magnetic compressibility of layered ferromagnet under pressure

This study systematically investigates the magnetic properties of the layered ferromagnet MnPt 5 As under pressure through a combination of experimental measurements and theoretical simulations. MnPt 5 As exhibits a ferromagnetic transition at approximately 301 K. Neutron diffraction measurements under applied pressures up to ∼4.9 GPa were performed over a temperature range from 320 to 100 K to probe its magnetic behavior. The results confirm that the Mn atoms maintain a ferromagnetic order under applied pressures, consistent with the ambient-pressure findings. However, magnetic anisotropy is notably suppressed. To further elucidate the compressibility of magnetic anisotropy in MnPt 5 As, x-ray diffraction under pressure was conducted. The results reveal that the c-axis undergoes a greater and more rapid compression compared to the ab -plane, which may contribute to the observed suppression of Mn ferromagnetic ordering along the c -axis. Additionally, theoretical calculations indicate that magnetic ordering exhibits a similar pressure-induced trend under applied pressure, supporting the experimental observations. These findings offer insights into the pressure-dependent magnetic properties and anisotropy of MnPt 5 As, with potential implications for strain engineering in Mn-based magnetic devices.

Electronic band structure↗
DOE OSTI2020

Studies on magnetocaloric effect of Tb 2 Ni 0.90 Si 2.94 compound

A comparative study has been carried out on the magnetocaloric properties of as-cast and annealed Tb 2 Ni 0.90 Si 2.94 intermetallic compound. While the as-cast material exhibits ferromagnetic cluster-glass behaviour below 9.9 K coexisting with antiferromagnetic (AFM) interaction, the annealed system shows AFM ordering below 13.5 K and spin freezing occurs below 4 K. The compound exhibits moderate magnetocaloric performance with maximum isothermal entropy changes (–ΔS M ) 8.8 and 10.9 J kg –1 K –1 , relative cooling power (RCP) 306 and 365 J kg –1 , along with adiabatic temperature change (ΔT ad ) 5.5 and 8.15 K for 70 kOe magnetic field change in as-cast and annealed forms, respectively. The estimated magnetic entropy change is found to be larger for annealed sample in comparison to that of as-cast analogue. However, the full width at half maxima (FWHM) of –ΔS M (T) behaviour is larger in as-cast compound due to the presence of inherent structural disorder which reduces with thermal annealing. A positive isothermal entropy change (–ΔS M ) and adiabatic temperature change (ΔT ad ) is observed for the as-cast compound in the measured field and temperature region. In contrast, the annealed system exhibits inverse magnetocaloric effect in the low field and temperature region where AFM interactions dominate. Magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is used as a tool to establish a subtle correlation between the observed magnetocaloric effect and the reported magnetic properties of the system.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Metal-insulator transition in V 2 O 3 with intrinsic defects

Vanadium sesquioxide (V 2 O 3 ) is a Mott insulator exhibiting a temperature-dependent metal-insulator transition (MIT) at 165 K accompanied by both a magnetic and structural transition. Although it is expected to be a metal under conventional band theory, electron interactions at low temperature cause it to behave like an insulator, making it difficult to accurately model its electronic properties with standard ab initio methods. As such, accurate theoretical assessments of the MIT with point defects requires special attention to the type of functionals used. In this study, we conclude that the PBE + U functional provides the best compromise between accuracy and efficiency in calculating the properties related to the MIT between low-temperature and high-temperature V 2 O 3 . We use this functional to explore the various influences that intrinsic point defects will have on the MIT in V 2 O 3 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analysis of Barkhausen noise to assess shrink fit stresses

The possible application of Barkhausen Noise Analysis to assess shrink fit stresses in steel bushings was investigated. Ten specimens of four different size NAS steel bushings were used in experiments to determine the relationship between the Barkhausen signal amplitude and the hoop-stress in the bushings. This relationship was investigated for specimens which were loaded by a simple clamping fixture and specimens subjected to actual thermal interference fits. The results show that while the relationship of Barkhausen signal amplitude to hoop stress is predictable for specimens loaded by the simple clamping fixture, the relationship was less predictable for actual thermal fit bushings. The variation in results could possibly be due to variable levels of axial stress produced by the differential thermal expansion of the steel and aluminum.

Nondestructive testing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Room-Temperature, Current-Induced Magnetization Self-Switching in A Van Der Waals Ferromagnet

2D layered materials with broken inversion symmetry are being extensively pursued as spin source layers to realize high-efficiency magnetic switching. Such low-symmetry layered systems are, however, scarce. In addition, most layered magnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy show a low Curie temperature. Here, in this study, the experimental observation of spin–orbit torque magnetization self-switching at room temperature in a layered polar ferromagnetic metal, Fe 2.5 Co 2.5 GeTe 2 is reported. The spin–orbit torque is generated from the broken inversion symmetry along the c-axis of the crystal. These results provide a direct pathway toward applicable 2D spintronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2013

Design and Application of Hybrid Magnetic Field-Eddy Current Probe

The incorporation of magnetic field sensors into eddy current probes can result in novel probe designs with unique performance characteristics. One such example is a recently developed electromagnetic probe consisting of a two-channel magnetoresistive sensor with an embedded single-strand eddy current inducer. Magnetic flux leakage maps of ferrous materials are generated from the DC sensor response while high-resolution eddy current imaging is simultaneously performed at frequencies up to 5 megahertz. In this work the design and optimization of this probe will be presented, along with an application toward analysis of sensory materials with embedded ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy (FSMA) particles. The sensory material is designed to produce a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition in the FSMA particles under strain. Mapping of the stray magnetic field and eddy current response of the sample with the hybrid probe can thereby image locations in the structure which have experienced an overstrain condition. Numerical modeling of the probe response is performed with good agreement with experimental results.

Wincheski, Buzz↗
DOE OSTI2024

Characterizing the nonequilibrium response of FeRh thin films using time-domain thermoreflectance

Time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) characterization of FeRh throughout its first-order antiferromagnetic (AF) to ferromagnetic (FM) transition shows that the transient reflectance ΔR⁡(t)/R strongly depends on the magnetic order of the sample. Using TDTR, which uses optical pulses to induce small temperature excursions, we have found that Δ⁢R⁡(t)/R of the AF phase exhibits a large negative response, while the response of the FM phase is positive. This magnetic phase sensitivity has allowed us to study the transient response of both the AF and FM phases to the pump-pulse excitation and the mixed phase of the material. These results are significant since the ultrafast properties of antiferromagnetic materials and mixed antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic materials are difficult to detect using other conventional techniques. We have found that the AF phase exhibits a strong subpicosecond decaying signal not observed in the FM phase. The magnetic phase dependence of the sign of Δ⁢R⁡(t)/R is qualitatively explained using the results of ab initio density functional theory calculations. Using the two-temperature model, we found that the change in the thermalization time across the transition is caused by differences in both the electronic heat capacity and the electron-phonon coupling factor of the AF and FM phases. The electron-phonon coupling constant in the AF phase is also determined using the two-temperature model conducted using the ntmpy code package. For the FM phase, we provide boundaries for the magnitude of the electron-phonon coupling factor for the FM phase. Finally, these results indicate that TDTR can be used to study the transient properties of magnetic materials that are otherwise challenging to probe.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Iron-based nanoparticles and grains

Example nanoparticles may include an iron-based core, and a shell. The shell may include a non-magnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic material. Example alloy compositions may include an iron-based grain, and a grain boundary. The grain boundary may include a non-magnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic material. Example techniques for forming iron-based core-shell nanoparticles may include depositing a shell on an iron-based core. The depositing may include immersing the iron-based core in a salt composition for a predetermined period of time. The depositing may include milling the iron-based core with a salt composition for a predetermined period of time. Example techniques for treating a composition comprising core-shell nanoparticles may include nitriding the composition.

Wang, Jian-Ping↗