Stripline (SL), vector network analyzer (VNA), and pulsed inductive microwave magnetometer (PIMM) techniques were used to measure the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) linewidth for a series of Permalloy films with thicknesses of 50 and 100nm. The SL-FMR measurements were made for fixed frequencies from 1.5to5.5GHz. The VNA-FMR and PIMM measurements were made for fixed in-plane fields from 1.6to8kA∕m (20–100Oe). The results provide a confirmation, lacking until now, that the linewidths measured by these three methods are consistent and compatible. In the field format, the linewidths are a linear function of frequency, with a slope that corresponds to a nominal Landau-Lifshitz phenomenological damping parameter α value of 0.007 and zero frequency intercepts in the 160–320A∕m (2–4Oe) range. In the frequency format, the corresponding linewidth versus frequency response shows a weak upward curvature at the lowest measurement frequencies and a leveling off at high frequencies.

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Ferromagnetic resonance linewidth in metallic thin films: Comparison of measurement methods | NIST

The topological Hall effect in magnetic materials is considered the ultimate trademark of the skyrmion phase. The phenomenon is identified by distinct nonmonotonic features in the Hall effect signal presumed to be evidence of the topological origin. It is demonstrated here that similar features, unrelated to the skyrmion physics, arise in heterogeneous ferromagnets when components of the material exhibit the extraordinary Hall effect with opposite polarities. The relevance of this mechanism to the published data is discussed.

Interpretation of experimental evidence of the topological Hall effect

Gas sensors work on the principle of transforming the gas adsorption effects on the surface of the active material into a detectable signal in terms of its changed electrical, optical, thermal, mechanical, magnetic (magnetization and spin), and piezoelectric properties. In magnetic gas sensors, the change in the magnetic properties of the active materials is measured by one of the approaches such as Hall effect, magnetization, spin orientation, ferromagnetic resonance, magneto-optical Kerr effect, and magneto-static wave oscillation effect. The disadvantages of different types of gas sensors include their chemical selectivity and sensitivity to humidity and high-temperature operation. For example, in the case of chemiresistive-type gas sensors, the change in the sensor resistance can drastically vary in the real environment due to the presence of other gas species and the overall electrical effect is quite complex due to simultaneous surface reactions. Further, it is not easy to make stable contacts for powdered samples for the conventional electrical property-based gas sensors. Fire hazard is another issue for the electrical property-based hydrogen gas sensors due to their flammable nature at higher operating temperature. In this regard, to solve these issues, magnetic gas sensor concepts have emerged, in which the magnetic properties of the materials get modified when exposed to gas molecules. In this review article, the working principles, fundamentals, recent developments, and future perspectives in magnetic gas sensors are reviewed. Finally, the prospects and opportunities in these exciting fields are also commented upon based on their current progress.

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Magnetic gas sensing: working principles and recent developments

The sensitive hydrogen effect on spintronic materials has been recently demonstrated to have high application potential. However, the correlation between hydrogen pressure ( P H 2), temperature, and magnetic properties still remains unclear. In this study, the magnetic moment of Fe in an Fe–Pd alloy thin film was increased through hydrogen absorption, as evidenced by the enhanced x-ray magnetic circular dichroism signal of Fe. Hydrogen absorption and desorption hysteresis loops in the magnetic coercivity Hc- P H 2 diagram revealed that most hydrogen was absorbed when P H 2 was above 10 mbar and desorbed when P H 2 was approximately 10–6 mbar. The hydrogenation effect on the magnetism of an Fe–Pd alloy film was eliminated at an annealing temperature of 360 K without considerable hydrogen desorption. The annealing-driven cyclic enhancement of Hc was demonstrated because of the competition between thermal activation and H bonding. These results clearly reveal the critical temperature dependence and provide applicable knowledge of the hydrogenation effect on magnetic Pd-alloys.

Thermally modulated hydrogenation in FexPd1-x alloy films: Temperature-driven peculiar variation of magnetism

The damping of magnetization, represented by the rate at which it relaxes to equilibrium, is successfully modeled as a phenomenological extension in the Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert equation. This is the damping torque term known as Gilbert damping and its direction is given by the vector product of the magnetization and its time derivative. Here we derive the Gilbert term from first principles by a non-relativistic expansion of the Dirac equation. We find that the Gilbert term arises when one calculates the time evolution of the spin observable in the presence of the full spin-orbital coupling terms, while recognizing the relationship between the curl of the electric field and the time varying magnetic induction.

http://absimage.aps.org/image/MAR09/MWS_MAR09-2008-002211.pdf

The origin of intrinsic Gilbert damping

The effect of hydrogen adsorption on the extraordinary Hall phenomenon (EHE) in ferromagnetic CoPd films is studied as a function of composition, thickness, substrate, and hydrogen concentration in the atmosphere. Adsorption of hydrogen adds a positive term in the extraordinary Hall effect coefficient and modifies the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with the respective changes in coercivity and remanence of hysteresis loops. Hydrogen sensitive compositions are within the Co concentration range of 20% ≤ x ≤ 50% with the strongest response near the EHE polarity reversal point x 0 ∼  38%. Depending on the film composition and field of operation, the EHE response of CoPd to low concentration hydrogen can reach hundreds of percent, which makes the method and the material attractive for hydrogen sensing.

Detection of hydrogen by the extraordinary Hall effect in CoPd alloys

Effect of hydrogen adsorption on the extraordinary Hall phenomenon (EHE) in ferromagnetic CoPd films is studied as a function of composition, thickness, substrate and hydrogen concentration in atmosphere. Adsorption of hydrogen adds a positive term in the extraordinary Hall effect coefficient and modifies the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with the respective changes in coercivity and remanence of hysteresis loops. Hydrogen sensitive compositions are within the Co concentration range 20% < x < 50% with the strongest response near the EHE polarity reversal point x_0 ~ 38%. Depending on the film composition and field of operation the EHE response of CoPd to low concentration hydrogen can reach hundreds percent, which makes the method and the material attractive for hydrogen sensing.

We present a comprehensive study on the magnetization reversal in the Fe/NiFe bilayer system by alternating the order of the magnetic layers. All the samples show growth-induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy due to the oblique angle deposition technique. Strong interfacial exchange coupling between the Fe and NiFe layers leads to single-phase hysteresis loops in the bilayer system. The strength of coupling being dependent on the interface changes upon alternating the order of magnetic layers. The magnetic parameters such as coercivity HC, and anisotropy field HK become almost doubled when a NiFe layer is grown over the Fe layers. This enhancement in the magnetic parameters is primarily dependent on the increase of the thickness and magnetic moment of the Fe–NiFe interfacial layer as revealed from the polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR) data of the bilayer samples. The difference in the thickness and magnetization of the Fe–NiFe interfacial layer indicates the modification of the microstructure by alternating the order of the magnetic layers of the bilayers. The interfacial magnetic moment increased by almost 18% when the NiFe layer was grown over the Fe layer. In spite of the different values of anisotropy fields and modified interfacial exchange coupling, the Gilbert damping constant values of the ferromagnetic bilayers remain similar to the single NiFe layer.

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Study of the magnetic interface and its effect in Fe/NiFe bilayers of alternating order

We present a comprehensive study on the magnetization reversal in Fe/NiFe bilayer system by alternating the order of the magnetic layers. All the samples show growth-induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy due to oblique angle deposition technique. Strong interfacial exchange coupling between the Fe and NiFe layers leads to the single-phase hysteresis loops in the bilayer system. The strength of coupling being dependent on the interface changes upon alternating the order of magnetic layers. The magnetic parameters such as coercivity HC, and anisotropy field HK become almost doubled when NiFe layer is grown over the Fe layers. This enhancement in the magnetic parameters is primarily dependent on the increase of the thickness and magnetic moment of Fe-NiFe interfacial layer as revealed from the polarized neutron reectivity (PNR) data of the bilayer samples. The difference in the thickness and magnetization of the Fe-NiFe interfacial layer indicates the modification of the microstructure by alternating the order of the magnetic layers of the bilayers. The interfacial magnetic moment increased by almost 18 % when NiFe layer is grown over the Fe layer. In spite of the different values of anisotropy fields and modified interfacial exchange coupling, the Gilbert damping constant values of the ferromagnetic bilayers remain similar to single NiFe layer.

Study of magnetic interface and its effect in Fe/NiFe bilayers of alternating order

Resistive solid state sensors are widely used in multiple applications, including molecular and gas detection. Absorption or intercalation of the target species varies the lattice parameters and an effective thickness of thin films, which is usually neglected in analyzing their transport properties in general and the sensor response in particular. Here, we explore the case of palladium-based thin films absorbing hydrogen and demonstrate that expansion of thickness is an important mechanism determining the magnitude and the very polarity of the resistance response to hydrogenation in high resistivity films. The model of the resistance response that takes into account modifications of thickness was tested and confirmed in three Pd-based systems with variable resistivity: thin Pd films above and below the percolation threshold, thick Pd-SiO2 granular composite films with different content of silica, and Pd-rich CoPd alloys where resistivity depends on Co concentration. Superposition of the bulk resistivity increase due to hydride formation and decrease of film resistance due to thickness expansion provides a consistent explanation of the hydrogenation response in both continuous and discontinuous films with different structures and compositions.

Sudhansu Sekhar Das

Papers

Detection of hydrogen by the extraordinary Hall effect in CoPd alloys

Detection of hydrogen by the extraordinary Hall effect in CoPd alloys

Study of the magnetic interface and its effect in Fe/NiFe bilayers of alternating order

Study of magnetic interface and its effect in Fe/NiFe bilayers of alternating order

Positive versus negative resistance response to hydrogenation in palladium and its alloys