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Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
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Guiding Spin Spirals by Local Uniaxial Strain Relief
Pin-Jui Hsu1, Aurore Finco1,2, Lorenz Schmidt1
1Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, D-20355 Hamburg, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|January 23, 2016
Summary
Strain relief in iron (Fe) films on iridium (Ir) influences magnetic properties. Uniaxial strain relief guides spin spirals along specific crystallographic directions, creating ordered magnetic states.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
Background:
- The magnetic properties of thin films are highly sensitive to strain.
- Understanding strain effects is crucial for designing novel magnetic materials and devices.
- Iron (Fe) films on Iridium (Ir) substrates provide a model system to study strain-induced magnetism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of uniaxial strain relief on the spin spiral state in Fe double layers grown on Ir(111).
- To correlate structural features arising from strain with magnetic ordering.
- To elucidate the atomic-scale mechanisms governing spin spiral formation and propagation.
Main Methods:
- Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was employed to visualize surface structure and magnetic domains.
- Spin-polarized STM was utilized to probe the spin texture of the Fe double layer.
- Magnetic field-dependent measurements were performed to characterize the spin spiral states.
Main Results:
- Reconstruction lines due to uniaxial strain relief were observed in the Fe double layer.
- Cycloidal spin spirals with nanometer-scale periodicity were identified in reconstructed areas.
- Spin spiral wave fronts were guided along specific crystallographic directions ([112̅]) of the Ir(111) substrate.
- Atomic-scale analysis revealed a zigzag wave front linked to the Fe crystal structure.
- Pseudomorphic areas showed magnetic periodicity but lacked long-range order.
Conclusions:
- Uniaxial strain relief significantly influences and guides the spin spiral state in Fe/Ir(111) thin films.
- Even localized strain relief can establish strict guiding of spin spiral propagation.
- The interplay between substrate-induced strain and film crystallography dictates magnetic ordering on the nanoscale.
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