FORC-Diagram Analysis for a Step-like Magnetization Reversal in Nanopatterned Stripe Array

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Magnonic crystals are periodic structures that control spin-wave propagation.
• Controlling hysteresis behavior in magnetic materials is crucial for device applications.
• Step-like hysteresis offers unique magnetic switching characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a novel fabrication method for magnonic crystals with step-like hysteresis.
• To investigate the origin of the observed step-like magnetic behavior.
• To demonstrate the tunability of magnonic crystal properties for external magnetic field control.

Main Methods:

• Shadow deposition technique for fabricating uniform non-monotonous iron layers.
• Local and integral magnetometry, including First-Order Reversal Curves (FORC) analysis.
• Magnetic microstructure dynamics measurements, macroscopic magnetic property analysis, and micromagnetic simulations.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of magnonic crystals exhibiting distinct step-like hysteresis loops.
• Identification of the origin of step-like behavior through detailed magnetic analysis.
• Validation of results using micromagnetic simulations and the intrinsic switching field distribution model.

Conclusions:

• The shadow deposition method provides a pathway to engineer magnonic crystals with controllable hysteresis.
• Tunable hysteresis plateaus enable precise control over the magnonic crystal's band structure.
• This approach facilitates the development of advanced magnetic devices and tunable magnonic systems.