Magnetic configurations in nanostructured Co₂MnGa thin film elements

Abstract

The magnetic configuration of nanostructured elements fabricated from thin films of the Heusler compound CO<sub>2</sub>MnGa was determined by high-resolution x-ray magnetic microscopy, and the magnetic properties of continuous CO<sub>2</sub>MnGa thin films were determined by magnetometry measurements. A four-fold magnetic anisotropy with an anisotropy constant of kJ m-3 was deduced, and x-ray microscopy measurements have shown that the nanostructured CO<sub>2</sub>MnGa elements exhibit reproducible magnetic states dominated by shape anisotropy, with a minor contribution from the magneto-crystalline anisotropy, showing that the spin structure can be tailored by judiciously choosing the geometry.