Magnetization Dynamics across the First Order Phase Transition in FeRh Thin Films

The metallic alloy FeRh undergoes a phase transition from an anti-ferromagnetic phase (AFP) to a ferromagnetic phase (FP) when heated above 400 K. The change in magnetic order results in a change in the net magnetization of the system from zero up to 1.2 kA/m after increasing the system temperature. This is an uncommon characteristic for a magnetic material since usually one observes a decrease of the magnetization upon heating. This discloses the possibility to apply FeRh to Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) devices.