Sputtering Growth of Non-Collinear Antiferromagnetic Thin Films with Desired Crystalline Orientations and Predicted Anomalous Nernst Effects
Abstract
Recent theoretical work predicts that non-collinear antiferromagnetic Mn3X (X=Ga, Ge, and Sn) materials can show an anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) that is significantly stronger than in ferromagnets. This prediction is fundamentally very intriguing, because the strength of the ANE phenomenon in a ferromagnet has been historically considered to be proportional to the magnitude of the magnetic moments in the material, while the net magnetic moment is near zero in an antiferromagnet. The prediction is also of great technological significance because it may offer a completely new material platform for heat-to-electricity conversion. The objectives of this 9-month STIR project are: (1) to use sputtering to grow Mn3X thin films with desired crystalline orientations, (2) to use such films to demonstrate the large ANE theoretically predicted for Mn3X, and (3) to explore how the strength and sign of the ANE signals vary with the temperature (3-400 K) and the choice of the material (Mn3Ga, Mn3Ge, and Mn3Sn). Growth of Mn3X thin films with desired orientations is critical, because the ANE in Mn3X films takes place only for certain crystalline orientations, according to recent theoretical studies. The results from this project will significantly promote the fundamental understanding of the ANE phenomenon. The success of the proposed project will also offer a new approach for efficient heat-to-electricity conversion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 04, 2019
- Source ID
- W911NF1910490
Entities
People
- Mingzhong Wu
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Colorado State University
- United States Army