skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Control of the magnetic in-plane anisotropy in off-stoichiometric NiMnSb

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4867298· OSTI ID:22277953
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Physikalisches Institut (EP3), Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg (Germany)

NiMnSb is a ferromagnetic half-metal which, because of its rich anisotropy and very low Gilbert damping, is a promising candidate for applications in information technologies. We have investigated the in-plane anisotropy properties of thin, molecular beam epitaxy-grown NiMnSb films as a function of their Mn concentration. Using ferromagnetic resonance to determine the uniaxial and four-fold anisotropy fields, (2K{sub U})/(M{sub s}) and (2K{sub 1})/(M{sub s}) , we find that a variation in composition can change the strength of the four-fold anisotropy by more than an order of magnitude and cause a complete 90° rotation of the uniaxial anisotropy. This provides valuable flexibility in designing new device geometries.

OSTI ID:
22277953
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 9; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English