Magnetization reversal in MnAs films: Magnetic force microscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and micromagnetic simulations

R. Engel-Herbert, T. Hesjedal, J. Mohanty, D. M. Schaadt, K. H. Ploog

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29 Scopus citations

Abstract

The magnetization reversal of MnAs nanowires was studied by magnetic force microscopy (MFM) imaging in conjunction with superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry and micromagnetic simulations. MnAs films on GaAs(001) exhibit a submicron-sized regular array of ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic stripes, where the width of the stripes can be tuned by the temperature. The investigated thin samples show squarelike hysteresis loops, and the corresponding field-dependent MFM measurements confirm a collective flipping of the domains at the coercive field. Thicker samples, as well as thinner samples at higher temperatures, generally exhibit a rounded magnetization curve with a very low remanent magnetization. Based on three-dimensional micromagnetic simulations, the micromagnetic structure as well as the magnetic hysteresis of MnAs films on GaAs(001) is explained in a consistent way.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number104441
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume73
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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