Physics Commons^™

Thermodynamics Of Magnetic Multilayers, Tathagata Mukherjee

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Our interest in thermodynamics of magnetic thin film heterostructure began by exploring the possibility to use magnetic nanostructures in the search for optimized magnetocaloric materials for potential room temperature refrigeration. In the present thesis magnetic thin film heterostructures are experimentally realized by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) and Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). Co/Cr and Fe/Cr superlattices were fabricated using mean-field theoretical concepts as guiding principles. The potential of artificial antiferromagnets for near room-temperature refrigeration is explored. Magnetocaloric properties are deduced from measurements of the temperature and field dependence of the magnetization of our samples. The effects of intra-plane and inter-plane exchange …

Exchange Coupling At Cobalt/ Nickel Oxide Interfaces, Andrew G. Baruth

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Spin arrangement at interfaces in layered magnetic materials is of vital importance to the emerging field of spintronics. Knowledge of how and why the interfacial spins behave in a certain way will aid in the development of future magnetic-based memories.

Much exploration has taken place in the interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) of ferromagnetic heterostructures with in-plane anisotropy. Only recently has it become apparent that to achieve the goals of increased areal density in magnetic memory a push for exploring magnetic materials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) must occur. An interesting and promising candidate for such a magnetic system is [Co/Pt]/NiO/[Co/Pt], …