Using structural disorder to enhance the magnetism and spin-polarization in FexSi1-x thin films for spintronics

J. Karel; Y. N. Zhang; C. Bordel; K. H. Stone; Tingyong Chen; C. A. Jenkins; David Smith; J. Hu; R. Q. Wu; S. M. Heald; J. B. Kortright; F. Hellman

doi:10.1088/2053-1591/1/2/026102

Using structural disorder to enhance the magnetism and spin-polarization in FexSi_1-x thin films for spintronics

J. Karel, Y. N. Zhang, C. Bordel, K. H. Stone, Tingyong Chen, C. A. Jenkins, David Smith, J. Hu, R. Q. Wu, S. M. Heald, J. B. Kortright, F. Hellman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Amorphous FexSi1-x thin films exhibit a striking enhancement in magnetization compared to crystalline films with the same composition (0.45 < x < 0.75), and xray magnetic circular dichroism reveals an enhancement in both spin and orbital moments in the amorphous films. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reproduce this enhanced magnetization and also show a relatively large spinpolarization at the Fermi energy, also seen experimentally in Andreev reflection. Theory and experiment show that the amorphous materials have a decreased number of nearest neighbors and reduced number density relative to the crystalline samples of the same composition; the associated decrease in Fe-Si neighbors reduces the hybridization of Fe orbitals, leading to the enhanced moment.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	026102
Journal	Materials Research Express
Volume	1
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/1/2/026102
State	Published - Jun 2014

Keywords

Amorphous
Density functional theory
Spintronics
Thin film magnetism
X-ray absorption
X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Biomaterials
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Polymers and Plastics
Metals and Alloys

Access to Document

10.1088/2053-1591/1/2/026102

Cite this

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title = "Using structural disorder to enhance the magnetism and spin-polarization in FexSi1-x thin films for spintronics",

abstract = "Amorphous FexSi1-x thin films exhibit a striking enhancement in magnetization compared to crystalline films with the same composition (0.45 < x < 0.75), and xray magnetic circular dichroism reveals an enhancement in both spin and orbital moments in the amorphous films. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reproduce this enhanced magnetization and also show a relatively large spinpolarization at the Fermi energy, also seen experimentally in Andreev reflection. Theory and experiment show that the amorphous materials have a decreased number of nearest neighbors and reduced number density relative to the crystalline samples of the same composition; the associated decrease in Fe-Si neighbors reduces the hybridization of Fe orbitals, leading to the enhanced moment.",

keywords = "Amorphous, Density functional theory, Spintronics, Thin film magnetism, X-ray absorption, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism",

author = "J. Karel and Zhang, {Y. N.} and C. Bordel and Stone, {K. H.} and Tingyong Chen and Jenkins, {C. A.} and David Smith and J. Hu and Wu, {R. Q.} and Heald, {S. M.} and Kortright, {J. B.} and F. Hellman",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1088/2053-1591/1/2/026102",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "1",

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T1 - Using structural disorder to enhance the magnetism and spin-polarization in FexSi1-x thin films for spintronics

AU - Karel, J.

AU - Zhang, Y. N.

AU - Bordel, C.

AU - Stone, K. H.

AU - Chen, Tingyong

AU - Jenkins, C. A.

AU - Smith, David

AU - Hu, J.

AU - Wu, R. Q.

AU - Heald, S. M.

AU - Kortright, J. B.

AU - Hellman, F.

PY - 2014/6

Y1 - 2014/6

N2 - Amorphous FexSi1-x thin films exhibit a striking enhancement in magnetization compared to crystalline films with the same composition (0.45 < x < 0.75), and xray magnetic circular dichroism reveals an enhancement in both spin and orbital moments in the amorphous films. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reproduce this enhanced magnetization and also show a relatively large spinpolarization at the Fermi energy, also seen experimentally in Andreev reflection. Theory and experiment show that the amorphous materials have a decreased number of nearest neighbors and reduced number density relative to the crystalline samples of the same composition; the associated decrease in Fe-Si neighbors reduces the hybridization of Fe orbitals, leading to the enhanced moment.

AB - Amorphous FexSi1-x thin films exhibit a striking enhancement in magnetization compared to crystalline films with the same composition (0.45 < x < 0.75), and xray magnetic circular dichroism reveals an enhancement in both spin and orbital moments in the amorphous films. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reproduce this enhanced magnetization and also show a relatively large spinpolarization at the Fermi energy, also seen experimentally in Andreev reflection. Theory and experiment show that the amorphous materials have a decreased number of nearest neighbors and reduced number density relative to the crystalline samples of the same composition; the associated decrease in Fe-Si neighbors reduces the hybridization of Fe orbitals, leading to the enhanced moment.

KW - Amorphous

KW - Density functional theory

KW - Spintronics

KW - Thin film magnetism

KW - X-ray absorption

KW - X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

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