Magnetic microstructure and magnetotransport in Co2FeAl Heusler compound thin films

TL;DR

This study combines magnetotransport and MOKE imaging to analyze domain behavior and magnetoresistance in Co2FeAl Heusler thin films, demonstrating macrospin models effectively describe their magnetotransport properties.

Contribution

It provides the first simultaneous magnetotransport and MOKE analysis of Co2FeAl Heusler thin films, showing macrospin models accurately predict magnetoresistance without significant domain wall effects.

Findings

Macrospin models match magnetoresistance data

Domain wall contributions are negligible

Magnetization dynamics are well captured by MOKE

Abstract

We correlate simultaneously recorded magnetotransport and spatially resolved magneto optical Kerr effect (MOKE) data in Co2FeAl Heusler compound thin films micropatterned into Hall bars. Room temperature MOKE images reveal the nucleation and propagation of domains in an externally applied magnetic field and are used to extract a macrospin corresponding to the mean magnetization direction in the Hall bar. The anisotropic magnetoresistance calculated using this macrospin is in excellent agreement with magnetoresistance measurements. This suggests that the magnetotransport in Heusler compounds can be adequately simulated using simple macrospin models, while the magnetoresistance contribution due to domain walls is of negligible importance.