title: Magnetic patterning: local manipulation of the intergranular exchange coupling via grain boundary engineering.
abstract: Magnetic patterning, with designed spatial profile of the desired magnetic properties, has been a rising challenge for developing magnetic devices at nanoscale. Most existing methods rely on locally modifying magnetic anisotropy energy or saturation magnetization, and thus post stringent constraints on the adaptability in diverse applications. We propose an alternative route for magnetic patterning: by manipulating the local intergranular exchange coupling to tune lateral magnetic properties. As demonstration, the grain boundary structure of Co/Pt multilayers is engineered by thermal treatment, where the stress state of the multilayers and thus the intergranular exchange coupling can be modified. With Ag passivation layers on top of the Co/Pt multilayers, we can hinder the stress relaxation and grain boundary modification. Combining the pre-patterned Ag passivation layer with thermal treatment, we can design spatial variations of the magnetic properties by tuning the intergranular exchange coupling, which diversifies the magnetic patterning process and extends its feasibility for varieties of new devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Feng
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jung-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Material and Chemical Research Laboratories, Nanotechnology Research Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, 310, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Liang-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Chih
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Material and Chemical Research Laboratories, Nanotechnology Research Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, 310, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mu-Tung
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Material and Chemical Research Laboratories, Nanotechnology Research Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, 310, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shen-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Hau
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Huang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai