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Switching of magnetization by nonlinear resonance studied in single nanoparticles

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Abstract

Magnetization reversal in magnetic particles is one of the fundamental issues in magnetic data storage. Technological improvements require the understanding of dynamical magnetization reversal processes at nanosecond time scales1. New strategies are needed to overcome current limitations. For example, the problem of thermal stability of the magnetization state (superparamagnetic limit) can be pushed down to smaller particle sizes by increasing the magnetic anisotropy2. High fields are then needed to reverse the magnetization, which are difficult to achieve in current devices. Here we propose a new method to overcome this limitation. A constant applied field, well below the switching field, combined with a radio-frequency (RF) field pulse can reverse the magnetization of a nanoparticle. The efficiency of this method is demonstrated on a 20-nm-diameter cobalt particle by using the microSQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) technique3. Other applications of this method might be nucleation or depinning of domain walls.

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Figure 1: The magnetization reversal by nonlinear resonance.
Figure 2: The Josephson junction (microbridge) of the microsuperconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), on which a 20-nm-diameter h.c.p. cobalt particle was placed.
Figure 3: Three-dimensional switching-field map of the 20-nm-diameter h.c.p. Co particle shown in Fig. 2a (particle A).
Figure 4: Field dependence of the switching field of the 20-nm-diameter Co particle (particle A in Fig. 2a).
Figure 5: Simulation of the field dependence of the switching field (dynamic Stoner–Wohlfarth astroid).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the European Union network MASSDOTS. B. Barbara, A. Benoit, E. Bonet and H. Pascard are acknowledged for the continuous support of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Louis Néel, associé à l'UJF, CNRS, BP 166, Grenoble, 38042 Cedex 9, France

    Christophe Thirion & Wolfgang Wernsdorfer

  2. Laboratoire de photonique et de nanostructures, CNRS, Route de Nozay, Marcoussis, 91460, France

    Dominique Mailly

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  1. Christophe Thirion
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  2. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer
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  3. Dominique Mailly
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Wernsdorfer.

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Thirion, C., Wernsdorfer, W. & Mailly, D. Switching of magnetization by nonlinear resonance studied in single nanoparticles. Nature Mater 2, 524–527 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat946

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