Magnetic imaging of layer-by-layer reversal in Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy

For very thin Co layers, the exchange coupling between adjacent Co layers in Co∕Pt multilayers is ferromagnetic and the coupling strength varies nonmonotonically as the nonmagnetic Pt layer thickness (t_Pt) ranges from 3 to 75 Å. We report on the magnetization reversal process in a series of [Co(4 Å)/Pt(t_Pt)]_N multilayers observed by magneto-optical Kerr microscopy as a function of t_Pt and layer repetition N. The images reveal the evolution of magnetic reversal processes that strongly depend on t_Pt and therefore on the interlayer coupling. For Co/Pt multilayers with small t_Pt, e.g., 11 Å, where the Co layers are strongly coupled, the whole multilayer switches as a single ferromagnet. As Co layers are separated farther and become weakly coupled, e.g., at t_Pt=41 Å, layer-by-layer magnetic reversal is observed. The Kerr images reveal metastable magnetic domain configurations during layer-by-layer switching which is not evident in the measured hysteresis loops during the abrupt magnetic reversal for Co∕Pt multilayers with weak interlayer coupling at large t_Pt

Probing confined interfacial excitations in buried layers by Brillouin light scattering

Brillouin light scattering from silicon oxynitride films grown on GaAs reveals a low frequency elastic wave excitation at frequencies lying below that of the Rayleigh surface wave. This mode, identified as an excitation localized by the interface, arises from the presence of a soft, thin transition layer between the film and substrate. Observations of this low frequency excitation offer a previously unexplored approach to characterize, non-destructively, the properties of buried interfaces.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, key words: interface, interfacial waves, guided acoustic waves, acoustic waveguid

Dispersive Gap Mode of Phonons in Anisotropic Superconductors

We estimate the effect of the superconducting gap anisotropy in the dispersive gap mode of phonons, which is observed by the neutron scattering on borocarbide superconductors. We numerically analyze the phonon spectrum considering the electron-phonon coupling, and examine contributions coming from the gap suppression and the sign change of the pairing function on the Fermi surface. When the sign of the pairing function is changed by the nesting translation, the gap mode does not appear. We also discuss the suppression of the phonon softening of the Kohn anomaly due to the onset of superconductivity. We demonstrate that observation of the gap dispersive mode is useful for sorting out the underlying superconducting pairing function.Comment: 7 pages, 12 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Many-body correlations probed by plasmon-enhanced drag measurements in double quantum well structures

Electron drag measurements of electron-electron scattering rates performed close to the Fermi temperature are reported. While evidence of an enhancement due to plasmons, as was recently predicted [K. Flensberg and B. Y.-K. Hu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 3572 (1994)], is found, important differences with the random-phase approximation based calculations are observed. Although static correlation effects likely account for part of this difference, it is argued that correlation-induced multiparticle excitations must be included to account for the magnitude of the rates and observed density dependences.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revtex Accepted in Phys. Rev.

Discovery of an excited pair state in superfluid 3He

Order parameter collective modes are the fingerprint of a condensed phase. The spectroscopy of these modes in superfluid $^3$He and unconventional superconductors can provide key information on the symmetry of the condensate as well as the microscopic pairing mechanism responsible for the ground state and excitation energies. We report the discovery of a new collective mode in superfluid $^3$He-B which we identify as an excited bound state of Cooper pairs. We use interferometry within an acoustic cavity that is very sensitive to changes in the velocity of transverse sound. Our measurements of sound velocity and mode frequency, together with the observation of acoustic birefringence indicate that this new mode is weakly bound with an excitation energy within 1% of the pair-breaking edge of $2\Delta$. Based on the selection rules for coupling of transverse sound to a collective mode in $^3$He-B, combined with the observation of acoustic birefringence near the collective mode frequency, we infer that the new mode is most likely a spin-triplet (S=1), $f$-wave pair exciton (L=3) with total angular momentum, J=4. The existence of a pair exciton with J=4 suggests an attractive, sub-dominant, $f$-wave pairing interaction in liquid $^3$He