Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Mn{sub 2}CoAl thin film

Journal Article · Fri Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2016 · AIP Advances

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4939934· OSTI ID:22492387

Sun, N. Y.; Zhang, Y. Q.; Che, W. R.; Shan, R. ^[1]; Fu, H. R.

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1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Special Artificial Microstructure and Pohl Institute of Solid State Physics and School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

Heusler compound Mn{sub 2}CoAl (MCA) is attracting more attentions due to many novel properties, such as high resistance, semiconducting behavior and suggestion as a spin-gapless material with a low magnetic moment. In this work, Mn{sub 2}CoAl epitaxial thin film was prepared on MgO(100) substrate by magnetron sputtering. The transport property of the film exhibits a semiconducting-like behavior. Moreover, our research reveals that perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) can be induced in very thin Mn{sub 2}CoAl films resulting from Mn-O and Co-O bonding at Mn{sub 2}CoAl/MgO interface, which coincides with a recent theoretical prediction. PMA and low saturation magnetic moment could lead to large spin-transfer torque with low current density in principle, and thus our work may bring some unanticipated Heusler compounds into spintronics topics such as the domain wall motion and the current-induced magnetization reversal.

• OSTI ID: 22492387
• Journal Information: AIP Advances, Vol. 6, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2158-3226
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ANISOTROPY
COBALT ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CURRENT DENSITY
DOMAIN STRUCTURE
EPITAXY
INTERFACES
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETRONS
MANGANESE BASE ALLOYS
SPIN
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TORQUE