abstract
We investigate the effects of piezoelectric- generated strain on the magnetization configuration of Ni nanostructures fabricated on pre-poled piezoelectric (011) [Pb(Mg0:33Nb0:66)O-3](0:68)-[PbTiO3](0:32) (PMN-PT) by high resolution X-ray microscopy. We observe a strong uniaxial anisotropy in the Ni nanostructures, due to the relaxation of the substrate following the deposition of the Ni. The anisotropy can be modified by the application of an electric field to the piezoelectric substrate ( thus generating a piezoelectric strain in the system) through the magneto-elastic effect. By applying an electric field to the PMN-PT, the magnetization configuration in nanostructured Ni squares and rings was reversibly manipulated with a high reproducibility.
subject category
Physics
authors
Finizio, S; Foerster, M; Vaz, CAF; Mix, C; Mawass, MA; Tkach, A; Klaui, M; Buzzi, M; Nolting, F; Miyawaki, T; Hockel, J; Carman, GP; Valencia, S; Kronast, F
our authors
acknowledgements
Part of this work was performed at the Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland and at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Germany. The authors further acknowledge the financial support by the EU's 7th Framework Programme IFOX (NMP3-LA-2010 246102), the European Research Council through the Starting Independent Researcher Grant MASPIC (ERC-2007-StG 208162), the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Graduate School of Excellence