Magnetic coupling of Fe/Mo/Fe and Co/Cu/Co sandwiches across wedged spacer layers

Conference · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:10111987

Qiu, Z Q; Pearson, J; Bader, S D

Fe/Mo/Fe and Co/Cu/Co sandwiches were grown by molecular beam epitaxy onto Mo(100) and Cu(100) single crystals, respectively, and characterized by high- and low-energy electron diffraction and in-situ surface magneto-optic Kerr-effect measurements. The spacer layer in both case was fabricated to have a wedged shape in order to create a continuous change of the spacer-layer thickness. Oscillatory behavior between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic coupling was found; and is shown to originate at the interface between the magnetic layer and the spacer layer. For Fe/Mo/Fe, short-period oscillations are observed with a periodicity of {approximately}3ML of Mo. Hysteresis loops for antiferromagnetically coupled cases are calculated from a simple model; results reproduce the general characteristics observed experimentally.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10111987
• Report Number(s): ANL/CP--76470; CONF-921201--12; ON: DE93004203
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
COBALT
COPPER
COUPLING
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
HYSTERESIS
IRON
KERR EFFECT
LAYERS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MOLYBDENUM
OSCILLATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES