The effect of the MgO buffer layer thickness on magnetic anisotropy in MgO/Fe/Cr/MgO buffer/MgO(001)

Abstract

The relationship between the magnetic properties and MgO buffer layer thickness d was studied in epitaxial MgO/Fe(t)/Cr/MgO(d) layers grown on MgO(001) substrate in which the Fe thickness t ranged from 0.4 nm to 1.1 nm. For 0.4 nm t 0.7 nm, a non-monotonic coercivity dependence on the MgO buffer thickness was shown by perpendicular magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry. For thicker Fe films, an increase in the buffer layer thickness resulted in a spin reorientation transition from perpendicular to the in-plane magnetization direction. Possible origins of these unusual behaviors were discussed in terms of the suppression of carbon contamination at the Fe surface and changes in the magnetoelastic anisotropy in the system. These results illustrate a method to control magnetic anisotropy in MgO/Fe/Cr/MgO(d) via an appropriate choice of MgO buffer layer thickness d.

Enhancement of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and its electric field-induced change through interface engineering in Cr/Fe/MgO

“…This conclusion is significant in light of recent research on PMA and its VC in Cr/Fe/MgO 32 , 33 . As mentioned in the introduction, the maximum VCMA coefficient of about 290 fJ/Vm was observed for an Fe layer of nominal thickness of 5.3 Å, which is equivalent to 3.6 ML.…”

“…Recently, high interfacial MA 30 – 32 and a large VCMA effect 33 were found in an ultrathin Fe layer embedded between Cr and MgO. For an Fe layer with nominal thickness greater than 6 Å a high interfacial anisotropy of 2.1 mJ/m 2 and a linear VCMA coefficient of about 100 fJ/Vm were observed.…”

Синтез, структура и магнитные свойства многослойных наногетероструктур Fe|MgO|Cr|MgO|Fe

“…Магнитные и магнитотранспортные свойства магнитных многослойных структур с границами раздела металл−металл и металл−диэлектрик были глубоко изучены; напротив, системы, включающие как металлические, так и диэлектрические промежуточные слои, изучены гораздо меньше. В частности, физически интересные системы Fe|MgO|Cr изучены в очень ограниченном количестве публикаций [1,2].…”

Magnetic ordering in Fe/MgO/Cr/MgO/Fe heterostructures

“…Magnetic and magnetotransport properties of magnetic multilayer structures with metal/metal and metal/insulator interfaces have been studied in depth, whereas systems including both metal and dielectric spacing layers were much less investigated. In particular, physically interesting Fe/MgO/Cr systems are studied in very limited number of publications [1,2].…”