Premium
Mn 3− x Ga (0 ≤ x ≤ 1): Multifunctional thin film materials for spintronics and magnetic recording
Author(s) -
Kurt H.,
Rode K.,
Venkatesan M.,
Stamenov P.,
Coey J. M. D.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201147122
Subject(s) - tetragonal crystal system , ferrimagnetism , condensed matter physics , materials science , curie temperature , magnetization , spintronics , antiferromagnetism , ferromagnetism , magnetic anisotropy , spin polarization , crystallography , crystal structure , chemistry , physics , magnetic field , quantum mechanics , electron
Tetragonal Mn 3− x Ga (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) epitaxial films possess exceptional magnetic and electronic properties. Stoichiometric Mn 3 Ga crystallizes in the D0 22 structure (abstract figure) and is a collinear ferrimagnet with an easy c ‐axis. It exhibits a unique combination of low magnetization, high uniaxial anisotropy, high Curie temperature and high spin polarization, which suit the requirements for spin torque memories down to 10 nm in size. Mn 2 Ga, on the other hand, exhibits much higher magnetization, high perpendicular anisotropy and high Curie temperature but a lower spin polarization, which make it a potential candidate for high density bit‐patterned recording with areal densities up to 10 Tb inch −2 (∼15 kb µm −2 ) and 10‐year thermal stability. The flexibility of the D0 22 structure allows a variety of magnetic materials to be synthesized with varying x to suit specific magnetic applications. Hexagonal D0 19 ‐Mn 3 Ga films are antiferromagnetic, which could be useful for exchange bias.(a) The tetragonal D0 22 unit cell of Mn 3 Ga. Ga atoms are ordered in a body‐centred tetragonal structure and Mn atoms occupy 2b (red) and 4d (green) sites. (b) The hexagonal D0 19 unit cell of Mn 3 Ga.