Activation volumes in Heusler alloy thin films

TY - JOUR

T1 - Activation volumes in Heusler alloy thin films

AU - Sagar, J.

AU - Fleet, L. R.

AU - Hirohata, A.

AU - O'Grady, K.

PY - 2011/10

Y1 - 2011/10

N2 - Magnetic measurements and TEM analysis have been carried out in order to investigate the activation volume and its correlation with physical grain size within plasma sputtered Co-2 FeSi thin films. This has led to a new technique for estimating the volumes of ordered and disordered interfacial regions within granular Heusler alloy films. It has been shown that the activation volume has very little grain-size dependence, while the physical grain volume is seen to increase with bias voltage. This suggests that reversal within the films is a domain wall process, and the multistage reversal seen in those films with larger grain sizes is due to pinning of domain walls within the grains.

AB - Magnetic measurements and TEM analysis have been carried out in order to investigate the activation volume and its correlation with physical grain size within plasma sputtered Co-2 FeSi thin films. This has led to a new technique for estimating the volumes of ordered and disordered interfacial regions within granular Heusler alloy films. It has been shown that the activation volume has very little grain-size dependence, while the physical grain volume is seen to increase with bias voltage. This suggests that reversal within the films is a domain wall process, and the multistage reversal seen in those films with larger grain sizes is due to pinning of domain walls within the grains.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80053552842&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/TMAG.2011.2145367

DO - 10.1109/TMAG.2011.2145367

M3 - Article

SN - 0018-9464

VL - 47

SP - 2440

EP - 2443

JO - IEEE Transactions on Magnetics

JF - IEEE Transactions on Magnetics

IS - 10

M1 - 6027648

ER -