Magnetic and finite size effects in Cu films on Co(100)

Abstract

Finite size and magnetic effects have been investigated in epitaxial Cu films on Co(100) by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission. The dispersion of fourteen distinct quantum well branches could be followed in atomically smooth films of thickness between 1 and 50 atomic layers. The measurement of the photoelectron spin polarization shows that magnetic quantum size effects in the Cu conduction band extend well beyond the interface region. These results support a description of multilayer exchange coupling phenomena based on the spin-dependent quantum confinement of conduction electrons within the non-magnetic layer.