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Universal scaling of the magnetic anisotropy in two-dimensional rare-earth layers

L. Benito and R. C. C. Ward
Phys. Rev. B 92, 020416(R) – Published 28 July 2015

Abstract

Unraveling the influence that low dimensionality has upon the spin's stability in two-dimensional (2D) systems is instrumental for the efficient engineering of energy barriers in ultrathin magnetic layers. Taking rare-earth-based ultrathin multilayered nanostructures as a model system, we have investigated the dissimilar impact that low dimensionality and finite-size effects have upon the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) at the nanoscale. We conclusively show that the reduced dimensionality of the spin's system in 2D ferromagnetic layers imprints on the MAE constants a universal temperature decay as a quadratic power law of the reduced magnetization. This result is in agreement with predictions, although in marked contrast to the rank-dependent, thereby faster, decay of the MAE constants observed in three-dimensional nanostructures.

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  • Received 3 February 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.92.020416

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

L. Benito1,2,* and R. C. C. Ward3

  • 1Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
  • 2Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
  • 3Oxford Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom

  • *luisbenito.phys@gmail.com

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Issue

Vol. 92, Iss. 2 — 1 July 2015

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