Magnetic Anisotropy and Damping Constant of Ferrimagnetic GdCo Alloy near Compensation Point

Abstract

Metallic ferrimagnets with rare earth-transition metal alloys can provide novel properties that cannot be obtained using conventional ferromagnets. Recently, the compensation point of ferrimagnets, where the net magnetization or net angular momentum vanishes, has been considered a key aspect for memory device applications. For such applications, the magnetic anisotropy energy and damping constant are crucial. In this study, we investigate the magnetic anisotropy and damping constant of a GdCo alloy, with a Gd concentration of 12-27%. By analyzing the equilibrium tilting of magnetization as a function of the applied magnetic field, we estimate the uniaxial anisotropy to be 1-3 x 10(4) J m(-3). By analyzing the transient dynamics of magnetization as a function of time, we estimate the damping constant to be 0.08-0.22.