Magnetic phases of thin Fe films grown on stepped Cr(001)
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
Magnetic phases of Fe films grown on curved Cr(001) with steps parallel to [100] are studied using the surface magneto-optic Kerr effect (SMOKE). We found that the atomic steps (1) induce an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with the easy magnetization axis parallel to the step edges, and (2) generate magnetic frustration either inside the Fe film or at the Fe-Cr interface, depending on the Fe film thickness and the vicinal angle. For thickness greater than 35 {Angstrom}, the Fe film forms a single magnetic domain and undergoes an in-plane magnetization switching due to the competition of the step-induced anisotropy and the Fe-Cr interfacial frustration. For thickness less than 35 {Angstrom}, the Fe film forms multiple magnetic domains at low vicinal angle, and transforms into a single domain at high vicinal angle. A magnetic phase diagram in the 30{endash}45 {Angstrom} thickness range was obtained using a wedge-shaped Fe film. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
- OSTI ID:
- 337550
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 59; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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