Filmes de ligas FePt com uma estrutura quimicamente ordenada Tetragonal de Face Centrada FCT (tipo L1 IND.0) e textura [001] apresentam anisotropia magnética perpendicular, alta coercividade e grande efeito Kerr polar magnetoóptico. Entretanto, filmes completamente ordenados são normalmente obtidos através de um processo de \"sputtering\" com deposições em altas temperaturas do substrato(T IND. S > OU =600 ºC) ou por pós-tratamento térmico em temperaturas maiores que 500 ºC. As pesquisas atualmente em desenvolvimento visam a obtenção dessa estrutura ordenada a temperaturas mais baixas, o que seria mais adequado para aplicações práticas dos filmes. Neste trabalho, procuramos as melhores condições para a preparação de filmes de FePt com a fase ordenada FCT(001) em reduzidas temperaturas. Investigamos a influência do método de deposição, temperatura do substrato, espessura do filme e tipo de substrato sobre o grau de ordem química e textura dos filmes de FePt e, consequentemente, sobre suas propriedades magnéticas. Os filmes finos de ligas Fe IND.xPt IND. x-1(com x = 50 at%) foram preparados por \"Sputtering Magnetron DC\", através de dois diferentes métodos de deposição: pelo usual de codeposição e pelo método de deposiçãO alternada monocamadas atômicas (DAM). Os filmes foram crescidos sobre substratos de SiO IND.2/ Si(100), Si(100) e MgO(100), com e sem uma camada \"buffer\" de Pt ( com espessuras de 50 1 766 nm), sob T IND. s variando de temperatura ambiente a 600 ºC. O \"buffer\" de Pt foi usado para permitir melhores condições para a indução de um crescimento \"epitaxial\" da ordenada fase FCT(001) nos filmes de FePt. Os resultados da caracterização estrutural e magnética realizados através das técnicas de Difração de RAios-X (XRD) e Magnetometria de Amostra Vibrante (VSM) mostram que os substratos de MgO São adequados para induzir um crescimento \"epitaxial\" de filmes de FePt ) com uma estrutura FCT e textura [001]. Entretanto, com o uso de um \"buffer\" de Pt otimizado (com predominante fase FCC(100)), pré-depositado sobre MgO, foram obtifos melhores resultados em termos de \"epitaxia\" conveniente para o ordenamento da estrutura cristalina, para os filmes de FePt preparados por ambos os métodos de deposição. Os resultados mostram também que o efeito de um crescimento \"epitaxial\" induzido varia com a espessura do filme. Em relação ao método de deposição, os resultados revelam a maior eficiência de método DAM em comparação com o métodos de codeposição para a preparação de filmes de FePt com a fase FCT(001), em temperaturas reduzidas (T IND.s < OU = 400ºC). Com o uso do método DAM, foi possível a obtenção da fase ordenanda FCT(001) em filmes de FePt crescidos diretamente sobre o MgO em T IND. s = 400ºC. Para filmes de FePt crescidos sobre Pt/MgO, a formação da fase FCT(001) foi verificada em T IND.s = 200ºC e um alto grau de ordenamento químico (S = 0,88) em T IND. s = 400ºC. Estudos de Espectroscopia de Absorção de Rios-X (XAS) também foram realizados. / FePt alloy films, with a chemically ordered face-centered-tetragonal FCT (type LI IND.0) structure and [001] texture, present perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, high coactivity and large polar magneto-optical Kerr effect. However, completely ordered films are usually obtained either by sputtering process at high substrate temperatures (T IND.s MAIOR IGUAL A 600°C) or by postanneling treatment at temperatures higher than 500°C. For technological purposes the preparation temperatures has to be as low as possible. In this work we have searched the more adequate conditions to preparation of FePt films with ordered FCT(001) phase at reduced temperatures. We have investigated the influence of deposition methods, substrate temperature, thickness of film, and type of substrate on the degree of the chemical ordering and preferred texture of FePt films and, consequently, on their magnetic properties. The Fe IND.xPt IND.1-x alloy thin films (with x SEMELHANTE A 50 at%) were prepared by DC Magnetron Sputtering, via two different deposition methods: a conventional code position method and an alternate monatomic layer (DAM) deposition method. The films were grown on SiO IND.2/Si (100), Si (100) and MgO (100) substrates, with and without a Pt buffer layer (thickness ranging from 50 to 76 nm), at T IND.s varying from room temperature to 600°C. The Pt buffer layer was used for obtaining better conditions to the induction of an epitaxial grown of FePt films with the ordered FCT(001) phase. The results of structural and magnetic characterization performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) show that the MgO substrates are adequate to induce an epitaxial growth of FePt films with a FCT structure and [001] texture. However, with the use of an optimized Pt FCC(100) buffer layer pre-deposited on MgO, the best conditions to an epitaxial induced growth were obtained, by both deposition methods. The results show also that the quality of the epitaxial induced growth depends on the thickness of the film. In relation to the deposition method in comparison to the code position method for preparation of FePt FCT(001) films, at reduced temperatures (T IND.s MENOR IGUAL A 400°C). With the use of the DAM method it was possible to obtain the ordered FCT(001) phase in the FePt film grown directly on MgO, at T IND.s = 400°C. For FePt film grown on Pt/MgO, the formation of the FCT(001) phase was verified at T IND.s = 200°C, and high degree of chemical order (S=0,88) was obtained at T IND.s = 400°C. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) studies also were done.

Spintronics discusses about fundamental physics and material science in mostly nanometer size structures. Spintronics also delivers many promising technologies for now and the future. One of the interesting spintronic structures is called “Magnetic Tunnel junction” (MTJ). A typical MTJ consists of a thin (1-3nm) insulator layer sandwiched between two ferromagnetic layers. In this work, I present MTJ with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) using an MgO tunnel barrier. The effect of different heavy metals (HMs) adjacent to the ferromagnets (FMs) on tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) and PMA of the junctions are discussed. Namely, Ta, Mo, Ta/Mo, W, Ir, and Hf have been utilized in HM/FM/MgO structures, and magneto-transport properties are explored. It is shown that when Ta/Mo is employed, TMR values as high as 208%, and highly thermally stable PMA can be obtained. Some physical explanation based on electronic band structure and thermochemical effects are discussed. In the last part of this work, the newly discovered tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR) effect in antiferromagnets is studied, and clear TAMR is demonstrated for NiFe/IrMn/MgO/Ta structures.

Magnetic materials have many applications in technology. The magnetic properties of materials are therefore important to catalogue for future use. In this project, the magnetic properties of thin films of permalloy are investigated. Specifically, the goal is to find the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy (PMAE) of thin film geometries of permalloy of varying film thickness. The PMAE is computed with powerful parallel computers using density functional theory (DFT) as implemented in the open-source DFT package OpenMX. The project consists of two parts: Computations on the bulk system and computations on six thin film systems of varying thickness. The thin films are periodic in the basal plane (the permalloy has a tetragonal crystal structure). The easy axis of magnetization was found to be along the c-axis of the tetragonal structure, both for bulk and thin film geometries. For the thin film geometries, this corresponds to an out-of-plane easy axis. The PMAE of the thinnest thin film geometries (4-5 atomic layers) were several times greater than that of the bulk system. Thin films with one more layer of Fe than Ni have especially great PMAE. When comparing the results to another study, the magnetocrystalline anisotropy as computed in this project turned out to be more than two orders of magnitude greater than in the previous study. It is hypothesised that this is because of the differing crystal structure of permalloy used in the study.

The Middle-Upper Jurassic sedimentary rocks (i.e., the Entrada Sandstone, Wanakah Formation, and Morrison Formation) in western Colorado were mostly deposited in the Paradox Basin and form part of the modern-day Colorado Plateau in the Cordilleran foreland region. These rocks were deposited in the Mesozoic during periods of active tectonic processes in western and eastern Laurentia due to the Cordilleran magmatism and continued rifting of Pangaea, respectively. The Middle-Late Jurassic sedimentary record in the Paradox Basin shows rapid transition in depositional environments, pulses in sedimentation, post-depositional alteration, and changes in provenance. This dissertation project utilizes three main scientific tools to address pertinent geologic questions regarding the stratigraphic evolution of these units in the Paradox Basin. U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology of sandstones from these units show local and distal provenance sources. The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of sediments and rock magnetism attribute the post-depositional alteration to percolation of ferruginous fluids driven by an adjacent regional uplift. Multi-geochemical proxies in paleosols suggest variable redox conditions, and a sub-humid to humid paleoclimate with seasonal precipitation during sedimentary hiatus in the Paradox Basin.

Submitted by Luanna Matias (lua_matias@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-03-03T12:00:09Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Márcio Solino Pessoa - 2010.pdf: 12461291 bytes, checksum: b86ea188061427a6c53a1664bfbc3419 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-03-04T11:04:51Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Márcio Solino Pessoa - 2010.pdf: 12461291 bytes, checksum: b86ea188061427a6c53a1664bfbc3419 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T11:04:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Márcio Solino Pessoa - 2010.pdf: 12461291 bytes, checksum: b86ea188061427a6c53a1664bfbc3419 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-04-08 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) technique at the microwave frequencies of X-band (9.79 GHz) and Q-band (34 Ghz) was used to study, at room temperature, the magnetic anisotropy of Fe/Mn/Fe trilayers. The samples studied were grown by molecular beam epitaxy onto MgO substrates at the temperatures of 50 ° C, 150 ° C and 175 ° C, at the pressure of 4 x 10-11 Torr. The thicknesses of the distinct layers were 5 or 10 nm for the bottom Fe layer grown onto the MgO substrate, varied from 0.8 to 1.35 nm, for the Mn spacer layer, and was kept constant and equal to 5 nm, for the top Fe layer. The FMR spectra of the symmetrical trilayer at X and Q-band microwave frequencies show only the uniform resonance mode. Asymmetrical trilayers also show non resonant and/or non aligned modes at X-band frequency, but only the uniform mode at Q-band frequency. For some samples this result gives evidence of a non-collinear coupling between the Fe layers in the presence of low intensity magnetic fields. The out-of-plane angular dependence of the absorption fields show that the magnetization for all trilayers studied is in the plane of the sample. The magnetic anisotropy was deduced from the in-plane angular dependence of the uniform resonance mode at Q-band frequency, taking the free energy of the magnetic system as the result of contributions from Zeeman, demagnetizing, and in-plane cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies. Fourfold in-plane anisotropy fields of 600 Oe and effective magnetizations above 16000 G were observed. The set of results obtained shows the high sensitivity and versatility of the FMR technique to study the magnetic properties of epitaxially grown monocrystalline nanometric structures. / A técnica de Ressonância Ferromagnética (RFM) nas frequências de micro-ondas de banda-X (9.79 GHz) e banda-Q (34 GHz) foi usada para estudar, à temperatura ambiente, a anisotropia magnética de tricamadas de Fe/Mn/Fe. As amostras estudadas foram crescidas por epitaxia de feixe molecular sobre substratos de MgO nas temperaturas de 50° C, 150° C e 175° C, à pressão de 4 x 10-11 Torr. A espessura da camada de Fe crescida sobre o MgO foi de 5 ou 10 nm, variou de 0.8 a 1.35 nm, para a camada separadora de Mn e foi mantida constante e igual a 5 nm, para a camada superior de Fe. Os espectros de RFM para a tricamada simétrica em bandas X e Q apresentam apenas o modo uniforme de ressonância. As tricamadas assimétricas apresentam também modos não ressonantes e/ou não alinhados em banda-X, mas apenas o modo uniforme em Banda-Q. Para algumas amostras, isto implica em um acoplamento não colinear entre as camadas de Fe na presença de campos magnéticos de baixa intensidade. A dependência angular do campo de ressonância fora do plano da amostra indica, para todas as amostras, que a magnetização se encontra no plano do filme. A anisotropia magnética das tricamadas foi deduzida a partir do estudo da dependência angular do campo de ressonância no plano da amostra, em banda-Q, tendo a energia livre do sistema contribuições de energias Zeeman, de desmagnetização e magnetocristalina cúbica. Campos de anisotropia cúbica da ordem de 600 Oe e magnetização efetiva superior a 16000 G foram observados. O conjunto dos resultados obtidos mostra a alta sensibilidade e versatilidade da técnica de RFM para estudar as propriedades magnéticas de estruturas monocristalinas nanométricas crescidas epitaxialmente.

Amorphous and nanocrystalline transition metal magnetic alloys (TMMAs) have been the subjects of fundamental and applied study due to their unique structure. The lack of long-range order in these materials sets the stage for their soft magnetic properties to be tuned for a variety of technological applications, such as sensitive magnetic field sensors, high frequency transformers, and stress sensors. Fundamental investigation of the magnetic and structural properties of these materials is also motivated by their unique amorphous or nanocrystalline-embedded amorphous matrix morphology, which has consequences on both the magnetism seen from both the atomic and macro-scale. The surfaces of these materials become important to their high frequency applications, where the skin depth of the excitation field is distributed near the surface. In conjunction with high frequency magnetoimpedance measurements, surface sensitive probes of magnetism and structure must be employed to provide a complete picture of the relationship between the surface and dynamic magnetism. This dissertation focuses on the surface impact of chemical composition, annealing conditions, and coatings on TMMAs on their magnetoimpedance response through multiple surface sensitive techniques such as atomic/magnetic force microscopy, magneto-optical Kerr effect, and scanning/transmission electron microscopy. These tools provide a view into the relationship between the nanostructure, microstructure and soft magnetic properties that make these materials highly desired for fundamental study and technological application.

This work presents new development and applications of ab-initio simulation tools for material science. Focus lies on materials with strong electronic correlation and strong spin-orbit coupling. Improvements on methods for solving the impurity problem in LDA+DMFT is presented, as well as a reliant method for charge self-consistency in a LMTO based electronic structure code. A new adaptive scheme for Brillouin zone integration is developed, where we show a strong reduction of numerical noise compared to standard techniques. A reformulation of the standard LDA+U method aiming to reduce the number of free parameters is introduced. Fast and realistic reduction of the number of free parameters provides the possibility of high throughput calculations and enabled us to study a large number of compounds. An analysis method for polarization in terms of coupled multipoles, and their corresponding energy contributions is developed and applied. This led to the formulation of Katt's rules, a set of rules complementary to Hund's rules. Katt's rules applies for occupying the orbitals of an electronic shell with strong spin-orbit coupling. The analysis is also used to investigate the unconventional Uranium based superconductors URu2Si2, UPt3, UPd2Al3 and UNi2Al3, as well as the high temperature superconductor LaOFeAs. We also investigate the non-magnetic delta-phase of Plutonium, providing insight to the electronic structure and the branching ratios of 4d to 5f transitions seen in photo emission spectra.The influence of surface reconstruction on the magneto crystalline anisotropy is investigated in multilayer Fe/ZnSe, showing that Fe deposited on an unreconstructed interface strongly reduces the uniaxial component of the MAE. We provide a detailed understanding of the magnetic properties of Fe2P, opening possible routes for enhancing the MAE in this system. A general route to strong MAE in nano-laminates is presented, we apply this to propose a candidate with extremely strong anisotropy energy density, 5Fe/2W1-xReX for x=[0.6-0.8].

This thesis compiles results of research in two mutuallydependent parts: 1) development of ferromagnetic resonance(FMR) spectrometer to study microwave properties offerromagnetic materials, and 2) characterization of new irongarnets: pulsed laser deposited Y3Fe5O12and Bi3Fe5O12films and Ce:Y3Fe5O12single crystal. First part describes a novelBroadbandFMRSpectrometerdesigned to characterize thin ferromagneticfilms. The spectrometer uses two probeheads: one is the X-bandmicrowave reflection cavity for room temperature measurementsand the in-cryostat microstrip line probe to perform FMRexperiments in the frequency range from 50 MHz to 40 GHz. Veryuniform and stable magnetic field up to 2.4 T, temperatures 4 Kto 420 K, and continuous frequency scan performed byHP8722Dvector network analyzer provide various modes ofoperation. Both probeheads are equipped with two-circlegoniometers to ensure accurate study of magneticanisotropy. The spectrometer was used to make express-analysis ofquality thus to optimize processing parameters of epitaxialiron garnet films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD).Comprehensive study of uniaxial and cubic magnetocrystallineanisotropy has been performed for Ce:Y3Fe5O12bulk crystal as well as for Y3Fe5O12and Bi3Fe5O12films grown on different substrates by PLD andreactive ion beam sputtering techniques. BroadbandFMR-spectroscopy revealed difference in spectra of domain wallresonances: instead of“soft”spin modes in filmsgrown by liquid phase epitaxy, PLD-made films show“diffuse”transformation of domains near thesaturation field. This effect indicates non-uniformity ofsaturation magnetization and field of uniaxial anisotropy inPLD-iron garnets. Spin wave resonances in comparison withuniform FMR have been studied to evaluate“localquality”of ferromagnetic films. The resonance field andFMR linewidth behavior were studied at various crystallographicdirections determined by X-ray diffraction. FMR was used to choose PLD-made YIG films with low losses atmicrowave frequencies and to build magnetostatic surface wavesmicrowave bandpass filter. The filter was designed as a planarfilm structure with a microstrip line for transducers. It is afirst demonstration of feasibility to introduce PLD processingtechnique to magnetostatic wave technology. Magneto-optical study of Ce:Y3Fe5O12single crystal complements results ofFMR-spectroscopy of new garnets. <b>Keywords:</b>ferrites, thin films, ferromagnetic resonance,microwaves, FMR spectrometer, magnetic anisotropy,magnetostatic waves.

This dissertation focuses on three separate studies. First, magnetization of the Mn12- acetate was studied by low temperature hysteresis loops and DC magnetization data on magnetically aligned Mn12-acetate micro-crystals. Secondly, Mn12-acetate thin films were fabricated and characterized by AFM and STM. Finally, magnetization of the film material was also studied. Enhanced alignment of Mn12-acetate micro-crystals as compared to prior studies was verified by observation of several sharp steps in low temperature hysteresis loops. It was found that ~ 0.5 T is sufficient to orient the micro-crystals in an organic solvent to a degree comparable to a single crystal. The degree of the alignment was controlled by varying the magnetic field at room temperature and during the cooling process. Subsequently, low temperature hysteresis loops and DC magnetizations were measured for each prepared orientation state of a sample. The high temperature magnetic anisotropy responsible for the alignment could not be measured, possibly due to its small magnitude. Mn12-acetate was deposited onto Si/SiO2 by a solution evaporation method. Atomic force microscopy studies revealed that 2 nm thick films of molecular level smoothness were formed. Mn12-acetate was also deposited onto a Highly Ordered Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) surface for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies. A self-assembled triangular lattice was observed in the Mn12-acetate thin films by STM at room temperature under ambient conditions. These STM images show typical center to center intermolecular separations of about 6.3 nm and height corrugation of less than 0.5 nm. Magnetization measurements were not successful in Mn12-acetate thin films due to the small amount of material in the film and the large background signal from the substrate. Therefore, a sample for the magnetization measurements, called “film material”, was made by evaporating a dilute solution of Mn12-acetate powder in acetonitrile. Significant changes in magnetic properties of the film material were observed from magnetization measurements. The blocking temperature of the film material was found to increase to TB > 10 K at low magnetic fields.

<p>This thesis compiles results of research in two mutuallydependent parts: 1) development of ferromagnetic resonance(FMR) spectrometer to study microwave properties offerromagnetic materials, and 2) characterization of new irongarnets: pulsed laser deposited Y₃Fe₅O₁₂and Bi₃Fe₅O₁₂films and Ce:Y₃Fe₅O₁₂single crystal.</p><p>First part describes a novel<i>Broadband</i>FMR<i>Spectrometer</i>designed to characterize thin ferromagneticfilms. The spectrometer uses two probeheads: one is the X-bandmicrowave reflection cavity for room temperature measurementsand the in-cryostat microstrip line probe to perform FMRexperiments in the frequency range from 50 MHz to 40 GHz. Veryuniform and stable magnetic field up to 2.4 T, temperatures 4 Kto 420 K, and continuous frequency scan performed by<i>HP8722D</i>vector network analyzer provide various modes ofoperation. Both probeheads are equipped with two-circlegoniometers to ensure accurate study of magneticanisotropy.</p><p>The spectrometer was used to make express-analysis ofquality thus to optimize processing parameters of epitaxialiron garnet films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD).Comprehensive study of uniaxial and cubic magnetocrystallineanisotropy has been performed for Ce:Y₃Fe₅O₁₂bulk crystal as well as for Y₃Fe₅O₁₂and Bi₃Fe₅O₁₂films grown on different substrates by PLD andreactive ion beam sputtering techniques. BroadbandFMR-spectroscopy revealed difference in spectra of domain wallresonances: instead of“soft”spin modes in filmsgrown by liquid phase epitaxy, PLD-made films show“diffuse”transformation of domains near thesaturation field. This effect indicates non-uniformity ofsaturation magnetization and field of uniaxial anisotropy inPLD-iron garnets. Spin wave resonances in comparison withuniform FMR have been studied to evaluate“localquality”of ferromagnetic films. The resonance field andFMR linewidth behavior were studied at various crystallographicdirections determined by X-ray diffraction.</p><p>FMR was used to choose PLD-made YIG films with low losses atmicrowave frequencies and to build magnetostatic surface wavesmicrowave bandpass filter. The filter was designed as a planarfilm structure with a microstrip line for transducers. It is afirst demonstration of feasibility to introduce PLD processingtechnique to magnetostatic wave technology.</p><p>Magneto-optical study of Ce:Y₃Fe₅O₁₂single crystal complements results ofFMR-spectroscopy of new garnets.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>ferrites, thin films, ferromagnetic resonance,microwaves, FMR spectrometer, magnetic anisotropy,magnetostatic waves.</p>