INTERFACE ANISOTROPY AND MAGNETIZATION REVERSAL IN EPITAXIAL FE(001)/PD DOUBLE LAYERS

摘要

Static and dynamic magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe(001) films with Pd overlayers have been measured by means of Brillouin light scattering and magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry. From low energy electron diffraction studies, the initial growth of Pd d(Pd)<2 monolayer (ML) is identified as a self-formation process of quasione-dimensional Pd structures. Auger electron spectroscopy examinations proved that for d(Pd)greater than or equal to 2 ML the Pd overlayers cover the Fe films almost completely. The measured frequencies of the dipolar spin wave mode and the derived anisotropy constants show a linear change with increasing d(Pd) up to 5 ML with following saturation. The M(H) curves show pronounced anomalies in the coercive field for d(Pd)<2 ML accompanied by large tails in the hysteresis loops. The results are interpreted as a strong pinning of domain walls caused by large local changes in the surface anisotropy due to the inhomogeneous Pd cover layer in this regime. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. References: 11