IEEE Magnetics Society
Santa Clara Valley Chapter
Meeting Presentation Summary

Tuesday, May 17^th, 2011

Western Digital, 1710 Automation Parkway, San Jose, CA
Directions and Map
Cookies, Conversation & Pizza too at 7:00 P.M.
Presentation at 7:30 P.M.

Sub-picosecond switching and the future of HAMR

Prof. Roy. W Chantrell
Dept. of Physics
The University of York
York, YO10 5DD, UK

Abstract

Magnetic materials make a vital contribution to a number of technologies, including of course magnetic recording. Increasingly, materials are structured on the nanoscale in order to produce the desired properties for specific applications. In addition, future applications may require heating of the material up to and beyond the Curie temperature characteristic of the magnetic phase transition. The important consequence is that the usual formalism, micromagnetics, cannot be used to investigate such complex phenomena.

Pr. Chantrell will describe the development of new approaches linking electronic structure calculations and atomistic spin models of magnetic materials and outline applications to the fundamental understanding of ultrafast magnetisation reversal. In particular he will show that magnetisation reversal in a timescale of 300 femtoseconds is possible, and will describe the implications for heat assisted magnetic recording. Finally, he will outline recent developments which allow the bridging of the atomistic and mesoscopic lengthscales, allowing the models to be applied to the understanding of macroscopic experiments and ultimately to device design. This model will be applied to the investigation of heat assisted magnetic reversal and also opto-magnetic reversal, in which magnetisation reversal occurs in response to a pulse of circularly polarised laser light. It is shown (in agreement with experiment) that switching times on the sub-picosecond timescale are possible, with important implications for magnetic recording and spin-electronic devices.

Copy Of Presentation

Biography

Roy Chantrell has made a number of contributions to the theory of magnetism, in particular the development of models of spin dynamics in complex magnetic systems. He has published around 360 refereed research papers with over 5500 citations. He held positions at a number of UK institutions, finally becoming full Professor of Physics at Durham University. In 2001 he moved to Seagate research (Pittsburgh) to establish and lead a theory group carrying out work on lengthscales ranging from ab-initio calculations to large-scale micromagnetic simulations. Chantrell was the recipient of a Seagate Technical Achievement Award in 2004. In august 2004 he was appointed to a chair of Condensed Matter Theory at the University of York, UK. He currently leads a group comprising 1 academic member of staff, 3 postdoctoral researchers and 11 postgraduate students. The York group specialises in the development of atomistic models of nanostructured magnetic materials, including nanoparticles and structured films including the effects of coupling between FM and AFM layers. He is Editor of the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, a member of the advisory board of a number of international conferences, and make regular contributions as member of the programme and publications committees of these meetings. In 1994 he was honoured as the Wohlfarth Lecturer and was Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Magnetics Society in 1999/2000. He is Fellow of the Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society and of the IEEE.

Contact:

• Prof. R.W. Chantrell
• Dept. of Physics
  The University of York
  York, YO10 5DD, UK
• www.cmt.york.ac.uk/compmag
• roy [dot] chantrel [at] york.ac.uk