Comparative study of room temperature ferromagnetism in undoped and Ni-doped TiO2 nanowires synthesized by solvothermal method

We report a comparative study of room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) in undoped and Ni-doped TiO₂ nanowires synthesized by solvothermal method. Both undoped and Ni-doped TiO₂ nanowire samples showed the RTFM with coercive field of ~125 Oe due to intrinsic effect. Interestingly, compared to the doped TiO₂ nanowires, the undoped nanowires exhibited the higher saturation magnetization value, indicating surface defects such as Ti³⁺ and oxygen vacancy play more important role in realizing RTFM than Ni doping. The origin of RTFM in the undoped nanowires can be attributed to the ferromagnetic coupling between Ti³⁺ ions via F⁺ center resulting from oxygen vacancy on the nanowire surface. Furthermore, saturation magnetization value of the doped nanowires is increased with increasing the doping concentration due to the enhanced ferromagnetic coupling between Ni²⁺ ions via F⁺ center.     

Multilayer Co/Pd films with nanocrystalline and amorphous Co layers: Coercive force, random anisotropy, and exchange coupling of grains

The values of saturation magnetization M _s, exchange coupling constant A, local magnetic anisotropy field H _a, random anisotropy correlation radius R _c, and coercive force H _c were independently measured for multilayer Co/Pd films with nanocrystalline and amorphous Co layers. It is shown that variation of the coercive force H _c(t _Co) as a function of the cobalt layer thickness t _Co is related to changes in characteristics of the magnetic microstructure. The main factor determining changes in the ferromagnetic correlation radius R _f and the average anisotropy 〈K〉 of a magnetic block in multilayer Co/Pd films is variation of exchange coupling constant A(t ^Co).     

Ferromagnetic Resonance Study of Fe/Cu Multilayer Thin Film

Fe/Cu/Fe multilayer thin film was grown on Si (100) substrate by using magnetron sputtering technique at room temperature. Dynamic and static magnetisations of the film have been investigated using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques in the temperature range of 10–300 K. From the room-temperature in-plane FMR measurements, a growth-induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy was observed. Out-of-plane FMR measurements exhibited a large magnetic anisotropy due to a large saturation magnetisation of Fe. A computer code was written to simulate the experimental FMR data and to obtain the magnetic parameters of the Fe/Cu/Fe multilayer thin film. g value, effective magnetisation, uniaxial anisotropy field and perpendicular anisotropy constant from the fitting of the angular dependence of the resonance field at both the in-plane and out-of plane geometries were determined. The exchange bias effect was observed from the low-temperature VSM measurements. The saturation magnetisation and coercive field decrease with increasing temperature due to the increase of the thermal fluctuations.     

Monte Carlo Study of Magnetic Properties of Mixed Spins in a Fullerene <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis><Subscript>30</Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">Y</Emphasis><Subscript>30</Subscript>-Like Structure

In this work, inspiring form of the fullerene-C60 structures, we study the mixed \( X_{30} Y_{30} \) fullerene-like structure and investigate its magnetic properties. In a such a structure, the carbons are assumed to be replaced by magnetic atoms having spin moments σ = 1/2 and S = 1. Firstly, we elaborate the ground-state phase diagrams in different physical parameter planes. In a second stage, we investigate the exchange coupling interaction effects in the absence or presence of both external magnetic and crystal fields. Using the Monte Carlo method, we carried out a study of the system magnetic properties and the thermal behavior of such a system for the ferromagnetic case. It is found that the critical temperature increases when increasing the coupling exchange interactions. On the other hand, the coercive magnetic field increases also when increasing the coupling exchange interactions. However, this physical parameter decreases when increasing the reduced temperature.     

Monte Carlo Study of Magnetic Properties in Semiconducting MnTe

The magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic MnTe alloys have been studied by Monte Carlo simulations within Ising model framework. The considered Hamiltonian includes nearest-neighbor interactions, external magnetic field, and crystal field. Magnetizations and magnetic susceptibility versus temperature are computed for a fixed size. The blocking temperature is established, and the magnetic hysteresis cycle is deduced for different values of temperature. The remanent magnetization and the coercive field are obtained. In addition, the magnetization versus the first exchange interaction (J ₁) with a fixed value of the second exchange interaction (J ₂) and the third second interaction (J ₃) is estimated. The magnetization versus the crystal field is deduced.     

On styrene–butadiene–styrene–barium ferrite nanocomposites

Magnetic investigations on a nanocomposite material obtained by spinning solutions of styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer containing barium ferrite nanoparticles onto Si wafers are reported. The effect of the spinning frequency on the magnetic features is discussed. It is observed that the magnetization at saturation is decreased as the spinning frequency is increased as the centrifuge force removes the magnetic nanoparticles from the solution. This is supported by the derivative of the hysteresis loops, which show two components, one with a high coercive field and another with a small coercive field. Increasing the spinning frequency increases the weight of the low coercive field component. The anisotropy in the distribution of magnetic nanoparticles, triggered eventually by the self-assembly capabilities of the matrix, is revealed by the difference between the coercive field in parallel and perpendicular configuration. It is noticed that increasing the spinning frequency enhances this difference. The effect of annealing the nanocomposite films is discussed.     

Mechanical stability and magnetic properties of austenite

Austenitic alloys have been produced by additional alloying in maraging steel grade 18 Ni at 2400 MPa. The concentration of Mo, Ni and Co was increased individually until the martensite start temperature M _s, was suppressed below ambient value. Charpy impact strength, tensile strength and magnetic properties were determined. The impact strength in the annealed condition ranged between 260 to 294 J. In alloys where martensitic transformation occurred following quenching in liquid nitrogen, the impact strength dropped appreciably and was found to be in the range 120–216 J. The tensile strengths of the austenite and martensite phases ranged between 680 to 890 and 1030 to 1100 MPa, respectively. It was observed that the austenite phase transformed to martensite in the region that under went plastic deformation during Charpy and tensile testing. The degree of transformation incorporated, varied as a function of composition. The magnetic properties of the austenite phases were typical of a very weak magnetic material. The coercive field and saturation magnetization values were in the range 1034–2387 Am^–1 and 1.6–2.9 T, respectively. In contrast to the general observation, the austenite phase containing high Co exhibited ferromagnetic behaviour. The coercive field and saturation magnetization of ferromagnetic austenite was 1034 Am^–1 and 11 T, respectively.     

Effect of Mn substitution on structural and magnetic properties of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys

The structure and the magnetic transitions have been investigated as a function of Mn in stoichiometric Ni₂MnGa heusler alloys. Particular attention is paid to examine the linear increase of martensite transformation temperature on substituting Mn for Ga. It is observed that the martensite temperature increases and Curie temperature decreases with the effect of Mn content. Room-temperature magnetic measurements show the composition-dependent characteristics with decreasing magnetic saturation values and increasing coercivity values due to decrease in the magnetic exchange interaction strength with increasing Mn in place of Ga. The scanning electron microscopy image confirms that the Mn-rich alloys have the martensitic plates.     

Effect of microstructural evolution on magnetic properties of Ni thin films

The magnetic properties of Ni thin films, in the range 20–500 nm, at the crystalline-nanocrystalline interface are reported. The effect of thickness, substrate and substrate temperature has been studied. For the films deposited at ambient temperatures on borosilicate glass substrates, the crystallite size, coercive field and magnetization energy density first increase and achieve a maximum at a critical value of thickness and decrease thereafter. At a thickness of 50 nm, the films deposited at ambient temperature onto borosilicate glass, MgO and silicon do not exhibit long-range order but are magnetic as is evident from the non-zero coercive field and magnetization energy. Phase contrast microscopy revealed that the grain sizes increase from a value of 30–50 nm at ambient temperature to 120–150 nm at 503 K and remain approximately constant in this range up to 593 K. The existence of grain boundary walls of width 30–50 nm is demonstrated using phase contrast images. The grain boundary area also stagnates at higher substrate temperature. There is pronounced shape anisotropy as evidenced by the increased aspect ratio of the grains as a function of substrate temperature. Nickel thin films of 50 nm show the absence of long-range crystalline order at ambient temperature growth conditions and a preferred [111] orientation at higher substrate temperatures. Thin films are found to be thermally relaxed at elevated deposition temperature and having large compressive strain at ambient temperature. This transition from nanocrystalline to crystalline order causes a peak in the coercive field in the region of transition as a function of thickness and substrate temperature. The saturation magnetization on the other hand increases with increase in substrate temperature.     

Effect of particle size distribution on the magnetic properties γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles

The magnetic response of nanocomposites formed by non-interacting well dispersed γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles in a polymer matrix is presented. Various low loading fraction of particles in polymer leads to an observation of similar values of blocking temperatures and coercive fields. ac response confirms that particles are non-interacting and follow Neel–Brown model. Effect of particle size distribution on hysteresis behavior and saturation magnetization as a function of temperature is discussed. Since particles have a size distribution, the experimental results of magnetic response are compared with simulations based on Stoner–Wohlfarth model of single size particles. We have devised a measurement method in which a constant magnetic field was applied while the thermal energy is varied by sequentially heating and cooling the sample below the blocking temperature. Nanoparticle–polymer composites show reversible magnetization behavior for sequential heating/cooling cycles. However, simulation based on single size particle system shows irreversible magnetization behavior during the heating and cooling cycles. These observations are qualitatively explained in terms of different behavior of magnetization as a function of temperature for smaller superparamagnetic particles and larger blocked particles below overall blocking temperature of the composite.     

Features of the magnetic properties of Co/Si/Co thin-film systems

The magnetic properties of Co/Si/Co thin-film structures grown by magnetron sputtering have been studied using magnetooptical techniques. It is established that the saturation field (H _S) of trilayers exhibits oscillations as a function of the thickness of the semiconductor (silicon) interlayer. This behavior is explained by structural features of the Co/Si/Co system and the presence of antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between magnetic layers via the silicon interlayer.     

On the longitudinal static and dynamic susceptibility of spin-1/2 Kondo systems

The impurity spin polarization, static susceptibility, and longitudinal impurity spin relaxation rate are calculated for thes-d model as function of temperature and magnetic field for ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange coupling. The thermodynamic functions and the dynamical susceptibility are obtained from the impurity relaxation spectrum, which is approximated by taking into account the infrared-like singularities. For antiferromagnetic coupling the zero-field susceptibility obeys a Curie-Weiss law1/χ～4.6(T+θ) for high and intermediate temperatures and it approaches the finite value1/χ～3.8θ for zero temperature. The zero-field relaxation rate is much larger than the Korringa value; it decreases with temperature and approaches the nonzero value1/T ₁～1.2θ for zero temperature. The relaxation rate decreases with increasing field. The results for the spin polarization agree well with the experimental data for the Cu:Fe alloy.     

Multiferroic Properties of (Bi0.9Gd0.1FeO)1−x (BaTiO3) x Ceramics

Conventional solid-state reaction method has been employed for the synthesis of polycrystalline (Bi_0.9Gd_0.1FeO)_1?x (BaTiO₃) _x for x=0.1, 0.2 and 0.3, ceramics samples. The effect of BaTiO₃ content on the multiferroic properties of Gd-doped BiFeO₃ ceramics has been presented. Pure perovskite phase with high density has been obtained by optimizing the synthesis approach, calcination and sintering strategies. Structural analysis carried out using X-ray diffraction confirms the formation of desired morphotropic phase. The dielectric properties have been investigated at different concentration of BaTiO₃ as function of temperature, revealing that by increasing the BaTiO₃ content dielectric constant increases while dielectric losses decrease. Magnetic study shows that initially saturation magnetization increases with increase in BaTiO₃ content up to x=0.1; however, afterwards it decreases for higher concentration of BaTiO₃. According to ferroelectric measurements, PE loops (with low coercive field) are observed at room temperature. The remnant polarization (P _r ) has been found to be 0.169, 0.619 and 0.760 μC/cm², respectively, for samples with x=0.1, 0.2 and 0.3. Magnetoelectric coupling in as-synthesized samples has been indirectly deduced by an anomaly observed at magnetic transition temperature.     

Engineering Exchange Coupling in Double Elliptic Quantum Dots

Coupled elliptic quantum dots with different aspect ratios containing up to two electrons are studied using a model confinement potential in the presence of magnetic fields. Single and two-particle Schrodinger equations are solved using numerical exact diagonalization to obtain the exchange energy and chemical potentials. As the ratio between the confinement strengths in directions perpendicular and parallel to the coupling direction of the double dots increases, the exchange energy at zero magnetic field increases, while the magnetic field of the singlet-triplet transition decreases. By investigating the charge stability diagram, we find interdot quantum mechanical coupling increases with the dot aspect ratio, whereas the electrostatic coupling between the two dots remains nearly constant. With increasing interdot detuning, the absolute value of the exchange energy increases superlinearly followed by saturation. This behavior is attributed to the electron density differences between the singlet and triplet states in the asymmetric QD systems     

Temperature dependence of ferroelectric and dielectric properties of textured 0.98(0.94Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–0.06BaTiO3)–0.02K0.5Na0.5NbO3 thick film

Textured 0.98(0.94Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃–0.06BaTiO₃)–0.02K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃ thick film was prepared by reactive templated grain growth (RTGG) method. The effect of temperature on ferroelectric and dielectric behaviors of the thick film was investigated. Its dielectric constant as a function of temperature displayed typical relaxation behavior, which was similar to that of NBT-based bulk ceramics. Remnant polarization, saturation polarization, and coercive field of the thick film all decreased with increasing temperature. Dielectric constant and tunability of the film were also dependent on temperature. Electric field dependence of dielectric constant of the thick film suggested a transition from ferroelectric to antiferroelectric phase at around the depolarization temperature. A strong increase in leakage current density with increasing temperature was observed, which could be related to the enhanced activity of conductivity carriers.     

Effect of temperature on polarization reversal of strontium-doped lead zirconate titanate (PSZT) ceramics

The effect of temperature on polarization reversal of strontium-doped lead zirconate titanate ceramics was studied. The piezoelectric properties viz. dielectric constant and piezoelectric coupling coefficient, were used for polarization reversal characteristic. These properties and apparent coercive field were measured during polarization reversal at different temperatures. Results indicated that at higher temperature apparent coercive field decreased. Polarization reversal and further polarization reversal was quite asymmetric. After polarization reversal, dielectric constant was found to increase at all temperatures while piezoelectric coupling coefficient increased above the temperature of polarization. The trend shown by dielectric constant indicates that at 25°C, 1·5 kV/mm field can be applied safely to this material without much compromising the properties. D.c. field of 3·0 kV/mm and 100°C temperature can be predicted as poling parameters from their effect on k_p{\bf \textit{k}}_{{\bf p}}. Apparent coercive field has shown non-linear relationship with temperature. It was of exponential decay type.     

Tuning the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of co-based layers in multilayered systems

The combination of Pt with Co either in alloy or in multilayer form is widely studied among the potential magnetic media for ultrahigh density magnetic recording. On the other hand the combination of Co with Cr in alloy form is currently providing commercial magnetic media. In an effort to further exploit and benefit from both systems, we fabricated Co(1-x)Cr(x)/Pt multilayers with two adjustable parameters. The first one is the Cr concentration on CoCr layer (x = 0, 5, 30), which modulates segregation effects on Co grains, thus tunes macroscopic magnetic features such as saturation magnetization and coercive field. The second one is the small layer thickness (< or = 0.6 nm) that affects interlayer coupling, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magnetization enhancement through spin polarization of Pt atoms in a ferromagnetic environment. The X-ray diffraction patterns verified the existence of multilayered structures following a preferable face-centered-cubic stacking. The Pt thickness and Cr concentration are found to significantly affect the macroscopic magnetic behavior. It is remarkable the fact that, samples present perpendicular anisotropy that scales with Pt thickness and temperature, even in the case of significant Cr concentration (30% in the alloy) when ferromagnetic behavior is expected to diminish according to relevant studies in alloys and in bulk films. Such an effect may be attributed to spin-polarization of Pt interlayers and was evidenced by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The spin-polarization of Pt is also the drive for the strong magneto-optic enhancement in the ultra-violet region between 4.5 and 5 eV shown by magnetooptic Kerr spectroscopy.     

Formation of rod‐shaped BaFe12O19 nanoparticles with well magnetic properties

A facile approach to preparing rod‐shaped nanoparticles of barium ferrite was developed by combination of hydrothermal and annealing process in air. The magnetic nanorods with diameters ∼ 40 nm and lengths ∼ 150 nm were clearly visible in TEM and SEM images. Magnetic measurements showed that the rod‐like BaFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles exhibited a great coercive field and high saturation magnetization of up to 4511 Oe and 67.3 emu/g, respectively. It is found that heat treatment in air can create less oxygen vacancies, which dramatically affects the Fe-O-Fe superexchange coupling. The results of this paper suggest that oxygen vacancies should be responsible for the decrease of saturation magnetization in nanosized magnetic materials.     

Biocompatible nanoclusters of <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-carboxymethyl chitosan-coated Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles: synthesis,characterization and magnetic heating efficiency

In this work, we developed a polymer encapsulation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles as a core–shell nanocluster with different sizes to investigate the cluster structure effect on their magnetic properties and magnetic heating behavior. Well-dispersed nanoclusters of O-carboxymethyl chitosan-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized by microwave-assisted co-precipitation. The cluster sizes were tunable by varying the concentration of polymers used during synthesis. Nanoclusters present superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature with a reduction in saturation magnetization as a consequence of coating layer. The shift of blocking temperature to the higher value with increasing clusters size shows the stronger magnetic interaction in larger magnetic clusters. In a low alternating magnetic field with frequency of 178 Hz and amplitude of 103 Oe, nanoclusters offer a high heating efficiency. A maximum specific absorption rate of 204 W/g is observed in the sample with hydrodynamic size of 53 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis performed on HeLa cells verified that nanoclusters show a good biocompatibility and can be an excellent candidate for applications in hyperthermia cancer treatment.     

Monte Carlo Study of the Magnetic Properties of ErRh Layers

The magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic ErRh layers have been studied using Monte Carlo simulations within the framework of the Ising model. The Hamiltonian considered includes both nearest-neighbor interactions and external magnetic field. Magnetizations and magnetic susceptibility versus temperature are computed for a fixed size. In addition, blocking temperature versus both size and applied external magnetic field is estimated. Hysteresis cycle versus temperature, saturation magnetization, coercive field, and the remanent magnetization are reported as well.