Element-specific magnetic moment profile in BCC Fe/Co superlattices

• BCC Fe/Co superlattices with individual layer thicknesses in the range of 2–9 monolayers have been investigated byX-ray magnetic circular dichroism in combination with SQUID magnetometry in order to study the magnetic momentdistribution in the superlattices. The magnetic moment for Co was found to remain constant, within 0:1 mB=atom, at1:6 mB=atom for all the superlattices. The Fe atoms at the interface have an enhanced moment of about 3:0 mB=atom. Inaddition, a complex dependence of the size of the moments on the thickness of the Fe layer was found and attributed tointerface roughness effects. Element-specific hysteresis curves were also recorded. These measurements show that themagnetic moments of Fe and Co were, as expected, coupled during reversal of the magnetic moment direction.

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