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We report on the x-ray absorption spectra (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) of a series of NiFe 2 O 4 (Ni ferrite) films grown on symmetry matched substrates and measured in two geometries: out-of-plane and near in-plane. The Ni ferrite films, grown by pulsed laser deposition, are epitaxial and the substrates used (ZnGa 2 O 4 , CoGa 2 O 4 , MgGa 2 O 4 , and MgAl 2 O 4) introduce a systematic variation in the lattice mismatch between the substrate and the film. Modeling of the XAS and XMCD spectra, both measured with the surface sensitive total electron yield mode, indicates that the Ni 2 + cations reside on the octahedrally coordinated lattice sites in the spinel structure. Analyses of the Fe XAS and XMCD spectra are consistent with Fe 3 + cations occupying a subset of the octahedral and tetrahedral sites in the spinel oxide lattice with the addition of a small amount of Fe 2 + located on octahedral sites. The Ni 2 + orbital to spin moment ratio (μ ℓ / μ s), derived from the application of XMCD sum rules, is enhanced for the substrates with a small lattice mismatch relative to NiFe 2 O 4. The results suggest a path for increasing the orbital moment in NiFe 2 O 4 by applying thin film growth techniques that can maintain a highly strained lattice for the NiFe 2 O 4 film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present measurements of element- and time-resolved ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in magnetic thin films at gigahertz frequencies via an implementation of time-resolved x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (TR-XMCD). By combining TR-XMCD and FMR, using a rf excitation that is phase locked to the photon bunch clock, the dynamic response of individual layers or precession of individual elements in an alloy can be measured. The technique also provides extremely accurate measurements of the precession cone angle (to 0.1°) and the phase of oscillation (to 2°, or ∼5 ps at 2.3 GHz). TR-XMCD combined with FMR can be used to study the origins of precessional damping by measuring the relative phase of dissimilar precessing magnetic moments. We have used the technique to measure the response of specific elements and separate layers in several alloys and structures, including a single Ni81Fe19 layer, a pseudo-spin-valve structure (Ni81Fe19/Cu/Co93Zr7), magnetic bilayers consisting of low damping (Co93Zr7) and high damping (Tb-doped Ni81Fe19) layers joined across a common interface, and elemental moments in Tb-doped Ni81Fe19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the surface, interface, and element specificity of x-ray resonant magnetic scattering in combination with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, we have spatially resolved the polarization, and hence the spin accumulation in Mn high susceptibility material in close proximity to a ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic polarization of Mn and Cu 3d electrons in paramagnetic CuMn layers is detected in a Co/Cu(x)/CuMn structure for varying copper layer thicknesses (x). The size of the Mn and Cu L2–3-edge dichroism shows a decrease in the polarization for increasing copper thickness indicating the dominant interfacial nature of the Cu and Mn spin polarization. The Mn polarization appears to be much higher than that of Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a compact sample holder equipped with electromagnets and high frequency transmission lines; the sample holder is intended for combined x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and ferromagnetic resonance measurements (FMR). Time-resolved measurements of resonant x-ray detected FMR during forced precession are enabled by use of a rf excitation that is phase-locked to the storage ring bunch clock. Several applications of the combined XMCD+FMR technique are presented, demonstrating the flexibility of the experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the effect of annealing on the interface magnetization in a CoFeB/MgO structure which models the lower electrode in a magnetic tunnel junction device. We find that MgO deposition causes Fe to diffuse toward the CoFeB/MgO interface, where it preferentially bonds with oxygen to form a Fe-O-rich interfacial region with reduced magnetization. After annealing at 375 °C the compositional inhomogeneity remains; Fe is reduced back to a ferromagnetic metallic state and the full interfacial magnetization is regained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic, transport, and electronic properties of ultrathin epitaxial La1-xSrxMnO3 (LSMO) films at near half doping (x = 0.47, 0.50, and 0.55), grown under different misfit strains on SrTiO3(001) and La0.18Sr0.82Al0.59Ta0.41O3(001) (LSAT) substrates, are investigated. We find that all films exhibit metallic behavior below the magnetic critical temperature, while the magnetic properties change markedly with both doping and strain. However, while increased doping favors antiferromagnetic ordering, strain is the driving mechanism for the change in the magnetic properties, where with increasing tensile strain the magnetic ground state changes from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic at a critical lattice misfit threshold of about -1%. The bulk magnetometry data are confirmed by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, while x-ray magnetic linear dichroism measured at room temperature demonstrates a progressive change in the orbital occupancy with increasing misfit strain from out of plane to in-plane, leading to a preferred antiferromagnetic metallic state at larger tensile strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we demonstrate an experimental observation of GHz-scale spin dynamics resolved to sublattice octahedral (Oh) tetrahedral (Td) sites in a spinel ferrimagnet, in this case a Mn-ferrite thin film. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) are used, in combination with multiplet calculations, to uniquely identify the spectral signature from Mn2+ and Fe2+,3+ on Oh and Td lattice sites. With the sample under //excitation, the spin alignment of the sublattices is tracked with time-resolved XMCD (TR-XMCD). The spin alignment of the sublattices is mostly antiferromagnetic. The phase difference between the Oh Fe2+ [Oh Fe3+] and Td Mn2+ sites is 181.2 ± 3.8° [183.3° ± 3.7°] at 150 K and 186.6 ± 2.2° [182.0° ± 2.2°] at 300 K. Such direct measurement of the dynamic coupling, exchange stiffness, and damping enabled by TR-XMCD across sublattices will be essential for optimizing the development of future-generation microwave devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]