Mn3−xGa (0 ≤ x ≤ 1): Multifunctional thin film materials for spintronics and magnetic recording
✍ Scribed by H. Kurt; K. Rode; M. Venkatesan; P. Stamenov; J. M. D. Coey
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 654 KB
- Volume
- 248
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0370-1972
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Tetragonal Mn~3−x~Ga (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) epitaxial films possess exceptional magnetic and electronic properties. Stoichiometric Mn~3~Ga crystallizes in the D0~22~ structure (abstract figure) and is a collinear ferrimagnet with an easy c‐axis. It exhibits a unique combination of low magnetization, high uniaxial anisotropy, high Curie temperature and high spin polarization, which suit the requirements for spin torque memories down to 10 nm in size. Mn~2~Ga, on the other hand, exhibits much higher magnetization, high perpendicular anisotropy and high Curie temperature but a lower spin polarization, which make it a potential candidate for high density bit‐patterned recording with areal densities up to 10 Tb inch^−2^ (∼15 kb µm^−2^) and 10‐year thermal stability. The flexibility of the D0~22~ structure allows a variety of magnetic materials to be synthesized with varying x to suit specific magnetic applications. Hexagonal D0~19~‐Mn~3~Ga films are antiferromagnetic, which could be useful for exchange bias. magnified image
(a) The tetragonal D0~22~ unit cell of Mn~3~Ga. Ga atoms are ordered in a body‐centred tetragonal structure and Mn atoms occupy 2b (red) and 4d (green) sites. (b) The hexagonal D0~19~ unit cell of Mn~3~Ga.