Phenomenological model of the magnetic states of ferromagnetic film with competing surface and bulk anisotropies

• The magnetic properties of a film with competing surface and bulk anisotropies and nonuniform ferromagnetic exchange interaction between atomic layers in the surface region have been investigated. The analytic expressions for the criteria of stability of the perpendicular and in-plane states of a film of arbitrary thickness have been derived in the framework of the layer by layer approach. We find that in films characterized by an arbitrary layer-dependent ferromagnetic exchange interaction between atomic layers and layer-dependent anisotropy constants, a canted noncollinear magnetic state becomes favorable when neither the perpendicular nor in-plane state is stable. We construct the diagram of the magnetic states of such a film and analyze the behavior of the magnetic state depending on film thickness. The developed theory can be applied to describe a wide class of quasi-two-dimensional magnetic systems demonstrating phase transitions between collinear and noncollinear magnetic states. In particular, we use this theory to describe the two-step spin-reorientation transition observed in bare Co/Au films.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Physics

Fysik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)