The thesis is mainly focused on the investigation of macroscopic and microscopic magnetic properties of selected nanomaterials containing cobalt and iron, and also the capability of our new device, scanning probe microscope Multimode V by Veeco, to directly visualise morphology and magnetic structure of these samples (Magnetic Force Miscroscopy, MFM). Investigated materials, such as CoFe2O4 nanoparticles and SiO2_Co_Si(111) thin films and multilayers are in general promising materials in many fields. In the medicine, the nanoparticles are used as the drug targets or contrast agents whereas in electronics, the (nano)granular thin films are the starting point in fabrication of high density storage media. The macroscopic magnetic properties of our samples are discusses in a view of superparamagnetic phenomena. The interactions in systems of nanoparticles are presented theoretically within the up-to date knowledge and also experimentally by demonstrating the behavior of the strongly-interacting, uper-spin-glass system. The thin films are studied in term of their granular structure and magnetic anisotropy. The morphology and the microscopic domain structure, respectively, are studied with use of the MFM. The first successful results obtained in our lab by this method are presented.

The high-frequency properties of coupled magnetic systems have been investigated using vector network analyzer ferromagnetic resonance (VNA-FMR) spectroscopy. SAF structures consist of two ferromagnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic spacer, coupled through the indirect exchange interaction. The ferromagnetic layers of our samples were composed of FeCoB separated by a layer of Ru. The thickness of Ru was varied in the range of 8 to 18 Å among the samples studied. Antiferromagnetic coupling can be quickly identified by the major hysteresis loop (MHL). A new way of displaying FMR data for these trilayer samples is presented which completely preserves the anisotropy effects while fully characterizing the angular dependence of FMR. The advantage of our representation is that the high-frequency data can be easily compared to the static switching behavior at any angle obtained through susceptibility measurements. Ferromagnetic resonance; Coupled; Synthetic antiferromagnet; Magnetization switching

Previous investigations of FePd circular island arrays have shown the hysteresis-free switching from vortex to collinear magnetic state at high temperatures [1]. This raises interest in the exploration of the temperature and inter-island interaction effect on the magnetization dynamics in this kind of structures. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements allow for the investigation of the magnetization response to time-dependent magnetic field excitations. In this work, the dynamics of a square lattice of circular Fe20Pd80 alloy islands were investigated. The micromagnetic simulations of FMR response were carried out with the parameters similar to those used in the experiments. The experimentally measured FMR absorption spectra were qualitatively reproduced employing micromagnetic simulations. Furthermore, the spatial maps of th estanding spin wave modes were calculated. It was confirmed that the features arising in the FMR absorption spectra are governed by both the temperature and the inter-island interactions.

Trabalhos publicados a partir do ano 2000 mostraram que a adição de Ga e Al ao Fe resulta em ligas com elevada magnetoestricção em campos magnéticos baixos, além de boas propriedades mecânicas e baixo custo associado (CLARK, 2001; GURUSWAMY, 2004). A partir daí os esforços foram direcionados para a descoberta de novas ligas magnetoestrictivas à base de Fe com propriedades similares às encontradas nas ligas Fe-Ga e Fe-Al. De fato, altos valores de magnetoestricção são de grande interesse para aplicações principalmente em sensores e atuadores, mas valores de magnetoestricção muito baixos ou nulos também proporcionam uma propriedade notável e desejável para muitas aplicações como em transformadores elétricos e sensores de fluxo. Este fenômeno de magnetoestricção ocorre em materiais que exibem deformação elástica na presença de um campo magnético aplicado. No presente trabalho, foi adicionado o titânio ao ferro para avaliar a influência em ligas de Fe-Ti com diferentes frações volumétricas da fase Fe2Ti na magnetoestricção e a relação com a microestrutura das ligas. Foi descoberto que as amostras de Fe100-xTix para x < 34,0 at.% apresentam uma magnetoestricção muito pequena. O Ti tem uma pequena solubilidade no ?-Fe, de aproximadamente 8,5% a 1200 ºC e diminui a 5% a 1000 ºC formando uma fase que também é ferromagnética. Assim, quando a solubilidade de Ti em ?-Fe é excedida há então a formação desta fase ferromagnética ordenada Fe2Ti chamada de Laves, com estrutura cristalina C14. Como a quantidade de Ti aumenta nas ligas estudadas, a fração volumétrica da fase Laves também aumenta e assim foi possível avaliar a magnetoestricção e a microestrutura das ligas formadas. Para isso, foram produzidas por fusão a arco as ligas com 1,61% a 34,0 % de Ti. Todas estas ligas foram submetidas a tratamentos térmicos em 1200 °C por 60 h para fim de homogeneização destas. A magnetoestricção de saturação (?S) medida nas amostras foi muito pequena. Para as ligas com 20 e 28,0% Ti, a ?S foi positiva nas e para as demais, ?S foi negativa. Concluiu-se que a substituição do Fe por Ti de um modo geral melhorou a magnetoestricção do Fe, porém a melhora não foi tão relevante quanto à observada pela substituição por Ga. / Since 2000, studies indicated that the addition of Ga and Al in Fe results in alloys with high magnetostriction at low magnetics fields as well as good mechanical properties and low cost associated (CLARK, 2001; GURUSWAMY, 2004). Since that, efforts have been directed to the discovery of new magnetostrictive Fe-based alloys with similar properties to those found in Fe-Ga and Fe-Al alloys.In fact, high values of magntetostriction are of great interest for applications, mainly in electric sensors and actuators but low values or zero magnetostriction is also a remarkable property, desirable for many applications such as electric transformers and fluxgate sensor cores. This phenomenon of magnetostriction occurs in materials that exhibit elastic strain in the presence of an applied magnetic field. In the present work, titanium was added to iron with the purpose of evaluating its influence on the magnetostriction of Fe. The variation on the magnetostriction was investigated as a function of different volumetric fractions of ordered phase Fe2Ti that coexist with the ?-phase. It was found that the samples of Fe100-xTix for x < 34,0 at.% has a very small magnetostriction. The Ti has a small solubility in ?-Fe, of approximately 7,0 % 1200 ºC and reduces at 5% 1000 ºC forming a phase that also is ferromagnetic. Thus, when the solubility of Ti in ?-Fe is exceeded there is the formation of this ordered phase Fe2Ti, a Laves phase, with crystalline structure C14. As the amount of Ti increases in the alloys, the fraction of volume of the Laves phase also increases and then it was possible to evaluate the magnetostriction and the microstructure of the alloys formed. Therefore, Fe-Ti alloys were produced by arc melting with 1,61% to 34,0 % of Ti. All the Fe-Ti alloys were heat-treated at the temperatures of 1200 °C for 60 h intending to homonezation of the alloy. The saturation magnetostriction (?S) measured in the samples was small. For alloys with 20 and 28% of Ti ,?S was positive and for the other samples, ?S was negative. We concluded that the substitution of Fe by Ti generally improved the magnetostriction of Fe, but the improvement was not as relevant as that observed by Ga substitution.

Neste trabalho é investigada a relaxação longitudinal da magnetização nuclear de água impregnada em pastilhas de pó de alumina (Al IND. 2 O IND. 3) com grau de pureza de 99,8%, objetivando a determinação do diâmentro de poro de uma espuma cerâmica do mesmo material a partir de medidas do tempo de relaxação longitudinal T IND. 1. O trabalho fundamenta-se no fato dos tempos de relaxação da magnetização nuclear T IND. 1 e T IND. 2, spin-rede e spin-spin respectivamente, de um fluido confinado em um meio poroso serem menores que tempos T IND. 1B e T IND. 2B para o mesmo fluido não confinado. Mediram-se os tempos T IND. 1 para graus de impregnação de água nas amostras entre 10 e 100% usando um espectrômetro montado a partir de módulos comerciais e de um gerador de pulsos desenvolvido no IFSC-USP. A partir dos tempos T IND. 1 e dos diâmetros de poro das pastilhas de pó, determinou-se o valor da relaxatividade longitudinal ou intensidade de relaxação superficial (mu IND. 1), um parâmetro que caracteriza a interface água-alumina nestas amostras. Usando o valor de (mu IND. 1) obtido para o pó e o tempo de relaxação T IND. 1 medido nas amostras de espuma cerâmica foi determinado o diâmetro de poro desta. Última, o qual é comparado com os valores obtidos com a microscopia eletrônica e com a injeção de mercúrio. O caráter não invasivo desta técnica em contraste com as outras, faz dela a única possível em algumas aplicações. / Nuclear magnetization relaxation of water imbibed on 99,8% purê alumina (Al IND. 2 O IND. 3) grain packs is investigated aiming to determine the mean pore diameter of ceramic foam pieces of the same material. The work rely on the shortening of the relaxation times T IND. 1 spin-lattice and T IND. 2 spin-spin of the nuclear magnetization of fluids confined on porous media as compared with their T IND. 1B e T IND. 2B bulk values. Relaxation times T IND. 1 were measured, using a spectrometer built from commercial modules and a pulse generator developed at the IFSC-USP, varying the content of water imbibed from 10 to 100%. The longitudinal relaxation (mu IND. 1), or surface sink strength, was determined from the measured T IND. 1 values and the mean pore diameter of the powder packs. This parameter characterizes the water-alumina interface of these samples. Using the (mu IND. 1) value from the powder and the relaxation times T IND. 1 measured on the ceramic foam pieces, the mean pore diameter of these samples were determined and are compared with the values obtained from mercury intrusion and electron microscopie. The non-invasive character of this technique distinguishes it from the other, making it the only possible in some applications.

Neste trabalho foram obtidas barras da liga (Fe0,80Al0,20)97B3 por solidificação direcional (SD), nos diâmetros de 3 e 4 mm, com o objetivo de melhorar a magnetostricção desse material através da introdução de textura. As etapas de produção das barras envolveram a fabricação de lingotes da liga por fusão a arco L1, L2 e L6, seguida de usinagem (U) ou forjamento rotativo (F) a quente. O maior comprimento de barra obtido foi de 50 mm. Através de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e análise de composição por espectroscopia de energia dispersiva, detectou-se a presença de boro nas amostras pela visualização do microconstituinte eutético formado da fase ? e da fase Fe2B. Resultados obtidos por difração de raios X indicam que a amostra da liga L1 para o diâmetro de 4 mm apresentou orientação preferencial nas direções , o que causou uma diminução expressiva da magnetostricção se comparada a da amostra do mesmo lingote para o diâmetro de 3 mm. Medidas de magnetização em função do campo magnético aplicado (Ha) indicaram que a magnetização de saturação das amostras que têm boro são em média 181 Am2/kg, sugerindo que as amostras tem ~ 2% de B. A barras obtidas por SD, tratadas termicamente (CTT) a 1100°C por 6 h, alcançaram uma maior magnetostricção (? = ?l/l), comparada as amostras sem tratamento térmico (STT), no qual o maior valor foi de 73 ? 10-6 na direção longitudinal da barra L1 forjada no diâmetro de 3 mm (L1F3-CTT). O maior fator de sensibilidade d?/dH obtido em função do comprimento da barra L1F3 foi de d?/dH = 0,9 x 10-9 m/A para a razão de aspecto ? = 12. Valor da constante anisotrópica K1 calculada a partir dos resultados experimentais se comparadas com dados da literatura, sugerem que em algumas amostras ocorre ordenamento parcial da fase cúbica da matriz, havendo assim a coexistência das fases Fe3Al (D03) e ?. / In this work, bars of the alloy (Fe0,80Al0,20)97B3 were obtained by directional solidification (DS) in diameters of 3 and 4 mm, with the goal of improving the magnetostriction of the material through the introduction of texture. Production steps of the bars involved the manufacture of the alloy ingots, L1, L2, L6, by arc melting, then machining (M) or hot swaging (F). The greatest length that was achieved in a bar was 50 mm. The presence of boron in the samples was identified by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, due to the presence of an eutectic microstructure that has dendrites and a microconstituent formed of phases ? and Fe2B. Results obtained by X-ray diffraction indicates that the bar L1 at the diameter of 4 mm showed preferential orientation in the directions , which caused a significant decrease of the magnetostriction compared to the same sample of the bar of diameter 3 mm. Magnetization measurements as a function of applied magnetic field (Ha) reveal that the saturation magnetization of the samples having boron is in average 181 Am2/kg, suggesting that the samples have ~ 2% of boron. The bars obtained by DS, thermally treated (CTT ) at 1100 ° C for 6 h, achieved higher magnetostrictions (? = ?l/l) compared to the samples without heat treatment.The highest value was 73 ? 10-6 was obtained in the longitudinal direction of the bar L1F in the diameter of 3 mm (L1F3-CTT). The maximum sensitivity factor d?/dH found as a function of the bars lengths was d?/dH = 0.9 x 10-9 m/A for an aspect ratio of ? = 12. Values of anisotropic constant K1, calculated using experimental results suggest that in some samples occur partial ordering of the cubic phase matrix , so there is the coexistence of phases Fe3Al ( D03 ) and ?.

Trabalhos publicados a partir do ano 2000 mostraram que a adição de Ga e Al ao Fe resulta em ligas com elevada magnetoestricção em campos magnéticos baixos, além de boas propriedades mecânicas e baixo custo associado (CLARK, 2001; GURUSWAMY, 2004). A partir daí os esforços foram direcionados para a descoberta de novas ligas magnetoestrictivas à base de Fe com propriedades similares às encontradas nas ligas Fe-Ga e Fe-Al. De fato, altos valores de magnetoestricção são de grande interesse para aplicações principalmente em sensores e atuadores, mas valores de magnetoestricção muito baixos ou nulos também proporcionam uma propriedade notável e desejável para muitas aplicações como em transformadores elétricos e sensores de fluxo. Este fenômeno de magnetoestricção ocorre em materiais que exibem deformação elástica na presença de um campo magnético aplicado. No presente trabalho, foi adicionado o titânio ao ferro para avaliar a influência em ligas de Fe-Ti com diferentes frações volumétricas da fase Fe2Ti na magnetoestricção e a relação com a microestrutura das ligas. Foi descoberto que as amostras de Fe100-xTix para x < 34,0 at.% apresentam uma magnetoestricção muito pequena. O Ti tem uma pequena solubilidade no ?-Fe, de aproximadamente 8,5% a 1200 ºC e diminui a 5% a 1000 ºC formando uma fase que também é ferromagnética. Assim, quando a solubilidade de Ti em ?-Fe é excedida há então a formação desta fase ferromagnética ordenada Fe2Ti chamada de Laves, com estrutura cristalina C14. Como a quantidade de Ti aumenta nas ligas estudadas, a fração volumétrica da fase Laves também aumenta e assim foi possível avaliar a magnetoestricção e a microestrutura das ligas formadas. Para isso, foram produzidas por fusão a arco as ligas com 1,61% a 34,0 % de Ti. Todas estas ligas foram submetidas a tratamentos térmicos em 1200 °C por 60 h para fim de homogeneização destas. A magnetoestricção de saturação (?S) medida nas amostras foi muito pequena. Para as ligas com 20 e 28,0% Ti, a ?S foi positiva nas e para as demais, ?S foi negativa. Concluiu-se que a substituição do Fe por Ti de um modo geral melhorou a magnetoestricção do Fe, porém a melhora não foi tão relevante quanto à observada pela substituição por Ga. / Since 2000, studies indicated that the addition of Ga and Al in Fe results in alloys with high magnetostriction at low magnetics fields as well as good mechanical properties and low cost associated (CLARK, 2001; GURUSWAMY, 2004). Since that, efforts have been directed to the discovery of new magnetostrictive Fe-based alloys with similar properties to those found in Fe-Ga and Fe-Al alloys.In fact, high values of magntetostriction are of great interest for applications, mainly in electric sensors and actuators but low values or zero magnetostriction is also a remarkable property, desirable for many applications such as electric transformers and fluxgate sensor cores. This phenomenon of magnetostriction occurs in materials that exhibit elastic strain in the presence of an applied magnetic field. In the present work, titanium was added to iron with the purpose of evaluating its influence on the magnetostriction of Fe. The variation on the magnetostriction was investigated as a function of different volumetric fractions of ordered phase Fe2Ti that coexist with the ?-phase. It was found that the samples of Fe100-xTix for x < 34,0 at.% has a very small magnetostriction. The Ti has a small solubility in ?-Fe, of approximately 7,0 % 1200 ºC and reduces at 5% 1000 ºC forming a phase that also is ferromagnetic. Thus, when the solubility of Ti in ?-Fe is exceeded there is the formation of this ordered phase Fe2Ti, a Laves phase, with crystalline structure C14. As the amount of Ti increases in the alloys, the fraction of volume of the Laves phase also increases and then it was possible to evaluate the magnetostriction and the microstructure of the alloys formed. Therefore, Fe-Ti alloys were produced by arc melting with 1,61% to 34,0 % of Ti. All the Fe-Ti alloys were heat-treated at the temperatures of 1200 °C for 60 h intending to homonezation of the alloy. The saturation magnetostriction (?S) measured in the samples was small. For alloys with 20 and 28% of Ti ,?S was positive and for the other samples, ?S was negative. We concluded that the substitution of Fe by Ti generally improved the magnetostriction of Fe, but the improvement was not as relevant as that observed by Ga substitution.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Physics)--Vanderbilt University, Dec. 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

The Roza flow of the Columbia River Basalt group in Washington State U.S.A. extruded at about 15 Ma during intermediate geomagnetic polarity. The Roza is underlain by normal polarity flows and overlain by reversed units. The Roza is an extensive flow, up to 60 in thick. As the remanence-blocking isotherms progressed into the flow, it recorded a short continuous segment of the transitional geomagnetic field. Our studies show limited thermal remagnetization in the underlying flow, and we infer that groundwater was effective in extracting the heat. The extent of basement heating was further reduced by the insulating scoria immediately beneath Roza. Hence, the Roza flow cooled symmetrically from its top and base. Samples from the drilicores acquired drilling induced remanent magnetization (DIRM), shown to be well modelled as an isothermal remanent magnetization produced in nonuniform fields of the order of 10 mT at the rim of the drillstring. Alternating field demagnetization was usually successful in removing the DIRM. The remanence stability is higher in the top third of Roza, due to smaller magnetic particles, than in the lower two thirds of the flow, where the magnetic properties are nearly uniform. The stability profile corresponds to the entablature/colonnade subdivision. High temperature subsolidus oxidation of the titanomagnetites increased with height in the flow, altering the primary symmetric intraflow distribution. The declination of the Roza flow sampled at numerous outcrops is consistently about 189°. In a 54 m drillcore section, Roza inclinations become more negative towards the flow interior, consistent with its magnetostratigraphic position. Superimposed is a symmetric, rapid change in inclination from -2 to -15° and back to -5°. The flow's thermal history predicts that these fluctuations have a characteristic time between 15 and 60 years, such that the inclination changed at a rate of 1/2 to 2° per year, showing that the directions of this transitional field fluctuated several times more rapidly than the present geomagnetic field. However, considering the generally reduced intensity during transitions, these fluctuations might not be unusual. / Graduation date: 1990

This thesis concerns and combines the results of experimental studies of magnetocaloric, multiferroic and spin-glass materials, using SQUID magnetometry as the main characteriza-tion technique.  The magnetocaloric effect offers an interesting new technology for cooling and heating applications. The studies of magnetocaloric materials in this thesis are focused on experimen-tal characterization of fundamental magnetic properties of Fe2P-based materials. These are promising magnetocaloric materials with potential industrial use. It is found that the magneto-caloric properties of Fe2P can be optimally tuned by substitution of manganese for iron and silicon for phosphorus. Furthermore, a simple device to measure the magnetocaloric effect in terms of the adiabatic temperature change was constructed.  Materials that simultaneously exhibit different types of ferroic order, for example magnetic and electrical order, are rare in nature. Among these multiferroic materials, those in which the ferroelectricity is magnetically-induced, or vice versa the magnetism is electrically-induced, are intensively studied due to a need for new functionalities in future data storage and logic devices. This thesis presents results on two materials: Co3TeO6 and Ba3NbFe3Si2O14, which belong to the group of magnetically-induced ferroelectrics and exhibit strong coupling be-tween the magnetic and the electrical order parameter. Their ordering properties were studied using magnetic and electrical measurement techniques. The coupling between the magnetic and electronic degrees of freedom was investigated using high-field and low-temperature Raman spectroscopy.  Spin-glass materials exhibit complex magnetism and disorder. The influence of the spin dimensionality on the low and high magnetic field properties of spin glasses was investigated by studying model Heisenberg, XY and Ising spin-glass systems. Significant differences were found between the non-equilibrium dynamics and the hysteresis behavior of Heisenberg systems compared to those of XY and Ising spin glasses.