https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2012-01615-2
Review
Charge-magnetic interference resonant scattering studies of ferromagnetic crystals and thin films
1 Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, USA
2 Institute of Metal Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, and Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
3 Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, USA
4 Department of Physics and Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University, USA
a e-mail: haskel@aps.anl.gov
Received:
19
December
2011
Revised:
23
March
2012
Published online:
15
June
2012
The element- and site-specificity of X-ray resonant magnetic scattering (XRMS) makes it an ideal tool for furthering our understanding of complex magnetic systems. In the hard X-rays, XRMS is readily applied to most antiferromagnets where the relatively weak resonant magnetic scattering (10−2–10−6Ic) is separated in reciprocal space from the stronger, Bragg charge scattered intensity, Ic. In ferro(ferri)magnetic materials, however, such separation does not occur and measurements of resonant magnetic scattering in the presence of strong charge scattering are quite challenging. We discuss the use of charge-magnetic interference resonant scattering for studies of ferromagnetic (FM) crystals and layered films. We review the challenges and opportunities afforded by this approach, particularly when using circularly polarized X-rays. We illustrate current capabilities at the Advanced Photon Source with studies aimed at probing site-specific magnetism in ferromagnetic crystals, and interfacial magnetism in films.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2012