Interlayer exchange coupling in iron/silicon nanostructures

Journal Article · Sat Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063776106070107· OSTI ID:21067671

A superexchange mechanism is considered for the interlayer exchange coupling in Fe/Si nanostructures. It is assumed that the most important role in this mechanism is played by iron-silicon interfaces, in whose immediate vicinity the contact-induced ferromagnetic phase of body-centered iron monosilicide forms and spin-polarized interface states arise. The magnetic coupling between iron layers is accomplished by means of the interaction of interface states through the normal-semiconductor spacer layer and involves both intraband and interband processes. The nonmonotonic character of the dependence of the interband exchange coupling on the spacer thickness and composition (the occurrence of a maximu, the change in shape, the possible sign reversal of the bilinear component) is caused by competition between the ferro-and antiferromagnetic super-exchange components and by the complex character of the spacer electronic spectrum (in particular, by the occurrence of several equivalent extrema in the semiconductor bands). This model qualitatively reproduces the main features of the mechanism of interlayer exchange coupling in real Fe/Si nanostructures.

• OSTI ID: 21067671
• Journal Information: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 103; ISSN JTPHES; ISSN 1063-7761
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
INTERFACES
IRON
LAYERS
NANOSTRUCTURES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
SPACERS
SPIN ORIENTATION