On the nature of spin reorientation transition thermal hysteresis in NiO(111)/Fe(110) bilayers
Abstract We report on temperature-driven in-plane 90° magnetization switching in NiO(111)/Fe(110) bilayer epitaxially grown on a W(110) single crystal, investigated using magneto-optical Kerr effect and X-ray magnetic circular and linear dichroism measurements. As the temperature varies, an abrupt s...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07541-1 |
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| Summary: | Abstract We report on temperature-driven in-plane 90° magnetization switching in NiO(111)/Fe(110) bilayer epitaxially grown on a W(110) single crystal, investigated using magneto-optical Kerr effect and X-ray magnetic circular and linear dichroism measurements. As the temperature varies, an abrupt switching of the easy axis between the in-plane Fe[001] and Fe $$\left[ {1\overline{{{\text{1}}}} 0} \right]$$ crystallographic directions is observed. In the temperature range of approximately 210–285 K, a thermal hysteresis region appears, where two energy minima coexist at a given temperature. Our experimental findings are supported by phenomenological modeling. Simulations incorporating temperature-dependent anisotropy constants successfully reproduce the key features of the observed phenomenon, most notably the temperature-driven hysteresis of ferromagnetic magnetization switching. The spin reorientation transition in both exchange-coupled ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers is driven by the interplay between magnetocrystalline and interfacial magnetic anisotropies in the ferromagnet, which stabilizes specific magnetization orientation at given temperature. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |