Magnetic reconfiguration of MnAs∕GaAs(001) observed by magnetic force microscopy and resonant soft x-ray scattering

We investigated the thermal evolution of the magnetic properties of MnAs epitaxial films grown on GaAs(001) during the coexistence of hexagonal/orthorhombic phases using polarized resonant (magnetic) soft x-ray scattering and magnetic force microscopy. The results of the diffuse satellite x-ray peak...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied physics 2006-10, Vol.100 (8)
Main Authors: Coelho, L. N., Neves, B. R. A., Magalhães-Paniago, R., Vicentin, F. C., Westfahl, H., Fernandes, R. M., Iikawa, F., Däweritz, L., Spezzani, C., Sacchi, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We investigated the thermal evolution of the magnetic properties of MnAs epitaxial films grown on GaAs(001) during the coexistence of hexagonal/orthorhombic phases using polarized resonant (magnetic) soft x-ray scattering and magnetic force microscopy. The results of the diffuse satellite x-ray peaks were compared to those obtained by magnetic force microscopy and suggest a reorientation of ferromagnetic terraces as temperature rises. By measuring hysteresis loops at these peaks we show that this reorientation is common to all ferromagnetic terraces. The reorientation is explained by a simple model based on the shape anisotropy energy. Demagnetizing factors were calculated for different configurations suggested by the magnetic images. We noted that the magnetic moments flip from an in-plane monodomain orientation at lower temperatures to a three-domain out-of-plane configuration at higher temperatures. The transition was observed when the ferromagnetic stripe width L is equal to 2.9 times the film thickness d. This is in good agreement with the expected theoretical value of L=2.6d.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/1.2356794