Magneto-optical Kerr Eect Study of Magnetic Anisotropy in Soft Ferromagnets

Author

Tatiana Marie Eggers, University of South FloridaFollow

Graduation Year

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Department

Physics

Degree Granting Department

Physics

Major Professor

Casey W. Miller, Ph.D.

Co-Major Professor

Denis Karaiskaj, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Mahn-Huong Phan, Ph.D.

Keywords

anisotropy, ferromagnets, Magneto-optical Kerr Effect, Physics

Abstract

The continued progress of modern information technology relies on understanding the influence of magnetic anisotropy on magnetic thin films. In this work, two sources of magnetic anisotropy are examined in two different soft ferromagnets: a uniaxial anisotropy induced during the fabrication of Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ and exchange anisotropy, or exchange bias, which occurs at the interface of Ni₇₇Fe₁₄Cu₅Mo₄/Fe₅₀Mn₅₀ bilayer. A home-built Magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometer is used to measure the magnetic response of the soft ferromagnetic films and details of its construction are also discussed. A simple model of uniaxial anisotropy is described, then applied, to the uniaxial NiFe film and deviations from the model are critically analyzed. The exchange bias and coercive fields of NiFeCuMo/FeMn are reported for the first time and studied as a function of buffer layer material. The influence of the different buffer layer materials on the magnetization response of the bilayer is explained from a structural standpoint.

Scholar Commons Citation

Eggers, Tatiana Marie, "Magneto-optical Kerr Eect Study of Magnetic Anisotropy in Soft Ferromagnets" (2014). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/5471