Journal Article

FZJ-2018-06333

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Anatomy of magnetic anisotropy induced by Rashba spin-orbit interactions

Chaudhary, G. (Corresponding author) ; dos Santos Dias, M.FZJ* ; MacDonald, A. H. ; Lounis, S. (Corresponding author)FZJ*

2018
Inst. Woodbury, NY

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/20151  doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.98.134404

Abstract: Magnetic anisotropy controls the orientational stability and switching properties of magnetic states, and therefore plays a central role in spintronics. First-principles density functional theory calculations are able, in most cases, to provide a satisfactory description of bulk and interface contributions to the magnetic anisotropy of particular film/substrate combinations. In this paper we focus on achieving a simplified understanding of some trends in interfacial magnetic anisotropy based on a simple tight-binding model for quasiparticle states in a heavy-metal/ferromagnetic-metal bilayer film. We explain how to calculate the magnetic anisotropy energy of this model from the quasiparticle spin susceptibility, compare with more conventional approaches using either a perturbative treatment of spin-orbit interactions or a direct calculation of the dependence of the energy on the orientation of the magnetization, and show that the magnetic anisotropy can be interpreted as a competition between a Fermi sea term favoring perpendicular anisotropy and a Fermi surface term favoring in-plane anisotropy. Based on this finding, we conclude that perpendicular magnetic anisotropy should be expected in an itinerant electron thin film when the spin magnetization density is larger than the product of the band exchange splitting and the Fermi level density of states of the magnetic state.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Quanten-Theorie der Materialien (IAS-1)
2. Quanten-Theorie der Materialien (PGI-1)
3. JARA-FIT (JARA-FIT)
4. JARA - HPC (JARA-HPC)

Research Program(s):

1. 142 - Controlling Spin-Based Phenomena (POF3-142) (POF3-142)

Appears in the scientific report 2018

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Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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