X-ray investigation of long-range antiferromagnetic ordering in FeRh

Abstract

We demonstrate a probe of long-range antiferromagnetic (AF) order in FeRh thin films using non-resonant magnetic x-ray scattering. In particular, x-rays at energies below the Fe K-edge have been used for the observation of magnetic Bragg peaks. Due to the low efficiency of the magnetic scattering, a grazing incidence geometry was used to optimise the diffracted intensity from the thin film samples. Based on Scherrer analysis, we estimate a coherence length similar to previous reports from x-ray magnetic linear dichroism (XMLD) experiments, indicating that domain sizes are limited to 40 nm which is consistent with the grain size. The temperature dependent behaviour of the AF order shows an inverse correlation with the emergence of the ferromagnetic (FM) moment, as expected from the phase diagram.