Materials World Network: Static and dynamic properties of curved multilayer nanomagnets on self-assembled particles

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Manfred Albrecht
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2008 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 73281496

Nanomagnets have a wide range of potential applications, including next generation high-density magnetic data storage, spintronic devices, and magnetic biosensing. Essential for all applications is an understanding of the underlying material properties and the capability to design and optimize these properties for the purpose at hand. The goal of this collaborative effort between the Applied Optics group of Holger Schmidt (UC Santa Cruz, USA) and the Magnetic Nanostructures group of Manfred Albrecht (Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany) is to combine our unique capabilities for fabrication and characterization of patterned nanomagnetic materials to obtain a complete understanding of the material properties of metallic multilayer nanomagnets for use in high-speed high-density magnetic data storage.The combination of our previously developed methods will allow us to study new magnetic materials with new nano-characterization methods, which is only made possible through this international collaboration. The magnetization dynamics of single, curved multilayer nanomagnets will be investigated in isolated magnets, within a dense nanomagnet array, and in comparison with conventional flat structures. This comprehensive study will allow us for the first time to quantitatively understand the influence of the magnetic environment on the dynamics of a single nanomagnet. Our specific research goals are:• Fabrication and stabilization of magnetic films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy onto SiO2 nanostructures (particle arrays, prepatterned SiO2 substrates):o Study the growth and structural properties of FePt on flat SiO2 substrates and onto SiO2 nanostructure arrays using Rapid Thermal Annealing approacho Study the growth and structural properties of FePt-Co/Pd composite material on flat SiO2 substrates and onto SiO2 nanostructure arrays• Complete understanding of static and dynamic material properties of nanomagnetic structures composed of various material compositions, includingo Study of intrinsic quasistatic properties (anisotropies, coercivity) as a function of magnet size, shape and material composition on single isolated nanomagnetso First measurements of intrinsic dynamic parameters such as precession frequency and damping on single isolated curved nanomagnetso Measurements of extrinsic ensemble properties of nanomagnet arrays as function of magnetic environmento Near-field measurements of extrinsic dynamic properties of single nanomagnets in an ordered array as function of magnetic environment (i.e. array symmetry, period)o Study the effect of dipolar interaction on spin dynamics in ordered arrays with various symmetry and periodicity. The ordering of the particles of nanostructures will be induced by a prepatterning process.• Design of nanomagnets consisting of composite material optimized for use as storage mediaThe scientific interaction will include design of nanomagnetic samples, discussion of static and dynamic characterization measurements, and modeling of the data. Since the combination of fabrication and characterization capabilities is unique, this collaboration will lead to results that could not be obtained otherwise.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: USA
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Holger Schmidt