DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLlNG MAGNETIC ANISTROPY WITH LOCALIZED BIAXIAL STRAIN IN A PIEZOELECTRIC SUBSTRATE

摘要

Devices and methods for controlling magnetic anisotropy and orientation of magnetic single domain structures between stable states are provided based on piezoelectric thin films and patterned electrodes. By using patterned electrodes, piezoelectric strain is manipulated to achieve a highly localized biaxial strain in a piezoelectric substrate and rotate the magnetic anisotropy of magnetic materials. Reorientation of a magnetic single domain between different stable states is accomplished by pulsing voltage across pairs of electrodes. Since only a small region surrounding the electrodes is strained, the methods can be applied to arrays of indexed magnetic elements and to piezoelectric thin films clamped to silicon base substrates.

主权项

1. A piezoelectric apparatus, comprising:
(a) a thin piezoelectric substrate film; (b) a pattern of a plurality of paired electrodes on a surface of said piezoelectric substrate film, each electrode pair oriented linearly; and (c) one or more ferromagnetic islands on said piezoelectric substrate between the electrodes of at least one pair of electrodes; (d) wherein a bi-axial strain field is induced between pairs of electrodes upon application of a voltage across said electrodes; and (e) wherein magnetization of said ferromagnetic islands can be controlled by an applied voltage to said pairs of electrodes.