Nanoscale magnetic patterning can lead to the formation of a variety of spin textures, depending on the intrinsic properties of the material and the microstructure. Here we report on the spin textures formed in laterally patterned antiferromagnetic (AF)/ferromagnetic (FM) thin film stripes with a period of 200 nm (100 nm FM/100 nm AF). We make use of the AF to FM phase transition in FeRh thin films at ∼100 °C, thereby creating a nanoscale pattern that is thermally switchable between AF/FM stripes and uniformly FM. A combination of spin-resolved photoemission electron microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, and magnetometry measurements allow direct nanoscale observations of the stray magnetic fields emergent from the nanopattern as well as the underlying magnetisation. Our measurements reveal pinning centres resistant to temperature cycling that govern the modulated spin-texture as well as a sub-texture consisting of grain-driven nanoscale magnetisation structure directed out of the film plane. The nanoscale magnetic structure is thus strongly influenced by the film microstructure. Signatures of exchange bias are not observed, most likely due to the small contact area between the AF and FM regions, combined with the fact that the interfaces between the damaged and undamaged regions are likely to be highly diffuse owing to the lateral scattering of incoming ions. These results show that temperature controllable spin textures can be created in FeRh thin films which could find application in domain wall, microwave, or magnonic devices.

中文翻译：

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热切换反铁磁/铁磁调制薄膜的磁性成像


纳米级磁性图案化可以导致形成各种自旋纹理，具体取决于材料的内在特性和微观结构。在这里，我们报告了在周期为 200 nm （100 nm FM/100 nm AF） 的横向图案化反铁磁 （AF）/铁磁 （FM） 薄膜条带中形成的自旋织构。我们在 ∼100 °C 的 FeRh 薄膜中利用 AF 到 FM 的相变，从而产生一种纳米级图案，该图案可在 AF/FM 条纹和均匀 FM 之间热切换。自旋分辨光电子显微镜、磁力显微镜和磁力测量相结合，可以直接对纳米图案中出现的杂散磁场以及下面的磁化进行纳米级观察。我们的测量揭示了抵抗温度循环的钉扎中心，这些中心控制调制的自旋织构以及由晶粒驱动的纳米级磁化结构组成的子织构，该结构由引出薄膜平面。因此，纳米级磁性结构受到薄膜微观结构的强烈影响。未观察到交换偏倚的特征，很可能是由于 AF 和 FM 区域之间的接触面积较小，再加上由于入射离子的横向散射，受损和未受损区域之间的界面可能高度扩散。这些结果表明，可以在 FeRh 薄膜中创建温度可控的自旋织构，这可以应用于畴壁、微波或磁振子器件。