Imaging the antiparallel magnetic alignment of adjacent Fe and MnAs thin films

TL;DR

This study uses element-specific microscopy to reveal that Fe and MnAs thin films exhibit predominantly antiparallel magnetic alignment, influenced by microstructure and domain size, at the sub-micron scale.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the local magnetic coupling and microstructural effects in Fe/MnAs thin films using advanced microscopy techniques.

Findings

MnAs layers show ridges and grooves with alternating magnetic phases.

Magnetization of Fe and MnAs is mostly antiparallel.

Local alignment depends on magnetic domain size.

Abstract

The magnetic coupling between iron and alpha - MnAs in the epitaxial system Fe/MnAs/GaAs(001) has been studied at the sub-micron scale, using element selective x-ray photoemission electron microscopy. At room temperature, MnAs layers display ridges and grooves, alternating alpha (magnetic) and beta (non-magnetic) phases. The self-organised microstructure of MnAs and the stray fields that it generates govern the local alignment between the Fe and alpha - MnAs magnetization directions, which is mostly antiparallel with a marked dependence upon the magnetic domain size.