AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition
    Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Tuesday Sessions
       Session MI+EM-TuM

Invited Paper MI+EM-TuM1
Molecular Beam Epitaxy and Spintronics

Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 8:00 am, Room 202 A

Session: Spintronics and Magnetoelectrics
Presenter: S. Andrieu, Institut Jean Lamour, CNRS-Université de Lorraine, France
Authors: S. Andrieu, Institut Jean Lamour, CNRS-Université de Lorraine, France
F. Bonell, Institut Jean Lamour, CNRS-Université de Lorraine, France
T. Hauet, Institut Jean Lamour, CNRS-Université de Lorraine, France
F. Bertran, Synchrotron SOLEIL, France
Correspondent: Click to Email

The growth and control of thin magnetic films has enabled the emergence of new branches of physics like nanomagnetism and spintronics, which stimulate an intense and successful research activity both in fundamental and applied directions. The reduced size of films and devices yields to the occurrence of new magnetic behaviors not present in bulk materials. Similarly, a new electronics based on the use of the spin of the electron was born in the 80’s. The role of the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) was of prime importance in the development of these activities. The discovery of new phenomena was often highlighted from the synthesis of perfectly controlled systems by MBE (GMR in Fe/Cr(001), Half-metal magnetic effect in LaSrMnO3, electric-field effect on magnetic anisotropy in FePt,…). Since the knowledge on the electronic properties of such thin films is crucial to understand the magnetic and electronic transport properties in these MBE-grown model systems, synchrotron radiation facilities were also used (XMCD, spin- and symmetry-resolved photoemission, diffraction,…). The strong impact of MBE growth and SR characterization in the understanding of fundamental issues in nanomagnetism and spintronics is then illustrated through the example of fully epitaxial MgO-based Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJs). The physics of coherent tunneling will be first introduced using the example of Fe/MgO/Fe(001) MTJs [1]. The effect of dislocations in the MgO barrier on transport properties will be illustrated using the example of FeVx/MgO MTJs [2]. Unexpected transport properties in FeCox/MgO will be presented and explained with the help of spin and symmetry resolved photoemission [3]. Finally, very recent results will be presented, like manipulation of the magnetic anisotropy at the Fe/MgO interface using an electric field [4], or insertion of the Half-metallic ferromagnetic (CoFe)3Ge in MgO-based MTJs.

[1] - C. Tiusan et al, J. Phys.Cond. Mat. 19, 165201, (2007)

[2] - F. Bonell et al, Phys. Rev. B, 82, 092405 (2010)

[3] - F. Bonell et al, Phys. Rev. Lett., 108, 176602 (2012)

[4] – C-H. Lambert et al, Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 122410 (2013) and A. Rajanikanth et al, (2013), submitted