Different scenarios for the in-plane spin reorientation transition in Fe(110) films on W(110)

摘要

We investigated the spin reorientation transition during the growth of Fe(110) films on W(110) at 250 ℃ using the in situ nuclear resonant scattering of x rays. The measurements as a function of the grazing incidence angle demonstrated that the spin reorientation proceeds via an intermediate, noncollinear magnetic state, and with increasing thickness, the magnetization reorientation from the [110] to the [001] direction is activated at the film surface and completed at the Fe/W interface. Furthermore, as the temperature was decreased from 250 ℃ to 160 ℃, the temperature-driven spin reorientation transition (SRT) between the [001] and [110] directions was observed with a similar noncollinear transient magnetic state. The thickness-temperature SRT phase diagram was schematically drawn.