Affiliation:
1. Institute of Applied Physics and Microstructure Research Center, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, D-20355 Hamburg, Germany.
Abstract
Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy in an external magnetic field, we have observed magnetic hysteresis on a nanometer scale in an ultrathin ferromagnetic film. An array of iron nanowires, being two atomic layers thick, was grown on a stepped tungsten (110) substrate. The microscopic sources of hysteresis in this system—domain wall motion, domain creation, and annihilation—were observed with nanometer spatial resolution. A residual domain 6.5 nanometers by 5 nanometers in size has been found which is inherently stable in saturation fields. Its stability is the consequence of a 360° spin rotation. With magnetic memory bit sizes approaching the superparamagnetic limit with sub–10 nanometer characteristic lengths, the understanding of the basic physical phenomena at this scale is of fundamental importance.
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Cited by
117 articles.
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