Abstract
$\mathrm{Fe}\mathrm{Mn}∕\mathrm{Co}$ ultrathin films were epitaxially grown on vicinal Cu(001) and investigated by using photoemission electron microscopy and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect. The FeMn antiferromagnetic order increases the Co coercivity and switches the Co magnetization easy axis from the in-plane [110] axis to the in-plane [100] axis. To separate the effects of atomic steps along different orientations, we modify the [110] and [100] step densities by growing the $\mathrm{Fe}\mathrm{Mn}∕\mathrm{Co}$ film on vicinal Cu(001) with steps parallel to [110] and [100] axes. We find that the [110] steps weaken the Co coercivity enhancement, while the [100] steps enhance the Co coercivity enhancement. This result supports the mechanism that the Co in-plane magnetization switching is due to the spin pinning of the FeMn at the [100]-type atomic steps.
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