Magnetic order multilayering in FeRh thin films by He-Ion irradiation

The heterointerfacing of different materials with competing magnetic orders forms the basis for today’s spintronic devices, however materials compatibility has remained a major limitation to the conception of new multilayered systems. Here, we uncover a multilayer of competing magnetic orders within a single layer of FeRh after low-energy He-ion irradiation: metamagnetic, ferromagnetic, and spin glass. Polarized neutron reflectometry, irradiation modeling, and density functional theory calculations reveal a direct correlation between the disorder concentration, the depth-dependent magnetic ordering, and the onset of the metamagnetic transition. Such a heterostructure opens the door to new paradigms in antiferromagnetic electronics and ultra-low-power magnetization controllability.

IMPACT STATEMENT

This unlocks the possible use of intrinsic magnetism as a state-variable for logical computation via a top-down approach to the multilayering/control of magnetic order in a single metamagnetic thin film.