Enhanced moments in bcc Co1−xMnx on MgO(001)

Abstract

A 40% enhancement of the Co magnetic moment has been found for thin films of bcc Co1−xMnx grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a 2nm bcc Fe buffer layer on MgO(001). Although the bcc phase cannot be stabilized in the bulk, we confirm that it is stable as an epitaxial film in the composition range x=0–0.7. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, we show that the Co moment is a maximum of 2.38μB at x=0.24, while the net Mn moment remains roughly constant until x=0.24, then drops steadily. Mn is found to align parallel with Co for all ferromagnetic concentrations, up to x=0.7, where the total moment of the film abruptly collapses to zero, most likely due to the onset of the observed structural instability.