Investigation of Weak Interlayer Exchange Coupling in the GaMnAs/GaAs Superlattice with Insulating Nonmagnetic Spacers

Published

July 1, 2011

Author(s)

Jae-Ho Chung, Young-Sang Song, Taehee Yoo, Sun-Jae Chung, Sanghoon Lee, Brian Kirby, X. Liu, J. K. Furdyna

Abstract

A robust long-range antiferromagnetic coupling between ferromagnetic Ga_0.97Mn_0.03As layers has previously been realized via insertion of non-magnetic Be-doped GaAs spacers. In this paper, we report the observation of the weak antiferromagnetic coupling between Ga_0.97Mn_0.03As layers through insulationg GaAs spacers as thick as 24 monolayers. The field and temperature dependencies of the sample magnetization suggest that the coupling departs substantially from typical ferromagnetic behavior. Polarized neutron reflectivity measurements reveal antiferromagnetic alignment between Ga_0.97Mn_0.03As layers when the weak field is applied perpendicular to the magnetic easy axis during cooling between T_C. The strength of the observed coupling is estimated to be weaker than 0.05 mT.

Citation

Journal of Applied Physics

Volume

110

Issue

1

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

neutron reflectometry, magnetic semiconductors

Citation

Chung, J. , Song, Y. , Yoo, T. , Chung, S. , Lee, S. , Kirby, B. , Liu, X. and Furdyna, J. (2011), Investigation of Weak Interlayer Exchange Coupling in the GaMnAs/GaAs Superlattice with Insulating Nonmagnetic Spacers, Journal of Applied Physics, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=908009 (Accessed March 13, 2025)