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

Abstract

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.