Superlattices may play an important role in next generation electronic and spintronic devices if the key-challenge of the reading and writing data can be solved. This challenge emerges from the coupling of low dimensional individual layers with macro
scopic world. Here we report the study of the resistive switching characteristics of a of hybrid structure made out of a superlattice with ultrathin layers of two ferromagnetic metallic oxides, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) and SrRuO3 (SRO). Bipolar resistive switching memory effects are measured on these LSMO/SRO superlattices, and the observed switching is explainable by ohmic and space charge-limited conduction laws. It is evident from the endurance characteristics that the on/off memory window of the cell is greater than 14, which indicates that this cell can reliably distinguish the stored information between high and low resistance states. The findings may pave a way to the construction of devices based on nonvolatile resistive memory effects.
We report measurements on magnetization reversal in the Fe$_8$ molecular magnet using fast pulsed magnetic fields of 1.5 kT/s and in the temperature range of 0.6-4.1 K. We observe and analyze the temperature dependence of the reversal process, which
involves in some cases several resonances. Our experiments allow observation of resonant quantum tunneling of magnetization up to a temperature of $sim$ 4 K. We also observe shifts of the resonance fields in temperature that suggest the emergence of a thermal instability---a combination of spin reversal and self-heating that may result in a magnetic deflagration process. The results are mainly understood in the framework of thermally-activated quantum tunneling transitions in combination with emergence of a thermal instability.
It has been shown that a nanoliter chamber separated by a wall of asymmetric obstacles can lead to an inhomogeneous distribution of self-propelled microorganisms. Although it is well established that this rectification effect arises from the interact
ion between the swimmers and the non-centrosymmetric pillars, here we demonstrate numerically that its efficiency is strongly dependent on the detailed dynamics of the individual microorganism. In particular, for the case of run-and-tumble dynamics, the distribution of run lengths, the rotational diffusion and the partial preservation of run orientation memory through a tumble are important factors when computing the rectification efficiency. In addition, we optimize the geometrical dimensions of the asymmetric pillars in order to maximize the swimmer concentration and we illustrate how it can be used for sorting by swimming strategy in a long array of parallel obstacles.
Exchange bias (EB) and the training effects (TE) in an antiferromagnetically coupled La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 / SrRuO3 superlattices were studied in the temperature range 1.8 - 150 K. Strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) interlayer coupling is evidenced from AC - su
sceptibility measurements. Below 100 K, vertical magnetization shifts are present due to the two remanent states corresponding to the two ferromagnetic (FM) layers at FM and AFM coupling condition. After field cooling (FC), significant decrease in the exchange bias field (HEB) is observed when cycling the system through several consecutive hysteresis loops. Quantitative analysis for the variation of HEB vs. number of field cycles (n) indicates an excellent agreement between the theory, based on triggered relaxation phenomena, and our experimental observations. Nevertheless, the crucial fitting parameter K indicates smooth training effect upon repeated field cycling, in accordance with our observation.
We demonstrate the existence of a novel superconducting state in high quality two-component MgB2 single crystalline superconductors where a unique combination of both type-1 (kappa_1 < 0.707) and type-2 (kappa_2 > 0.707) superconductor conditions is
realized for the two components of the order parameter. This condition leads to a vortex-vortex interaction attractive at long distances and repulsive at short distances, which stabilizes unconventional stripe- and gossamer-like vortex patterns that we have visualized in this type-1.5 superconductor using Bitter decoration and also reproduced in numerical simulations.
We experimentally demonstrate that the origin of multiply reversed rectified vortex motion in an asymmetric pinning landscape is a consequence not only of the vortex-vortex interactions but also essentially depends on the ratio between the characteri
stic interaction distance and the period of the asymmetric pinning potential. Our system consists of an Al film deposited on top of a square array of size-graded magnetic dots with a constant lattice period a=2mu m. Four samples with different periods of the size gradient d were investigated. For large d the dc voltage Vdc recorded under a sinusoidal ac excitation indicates that the average vortex drift is from bigger to smaller dots for all explored positive fields. As d is reduced a series of sign reversals in the dc response are observed as a function of field. We show that the number of sign reversals increases as d decreases. These findings are in agreement with recent computer simulations and illustrate the relevance of the different characteristic lengths for the vortex rectification effects.
