Magnetic Characteristics of the System of Exchange Coupled Layers

Abstract

The interlayer exchange coupling of ferromagnetic transition metal layers through non-magnetic spacer has been intensively studied over the last decade (see, e.g. [1-6]). In comparison, little work was devoted to the magnetic characteristics of such systems. An oscillatory interlayer exchange coupling observed in many multilayered systems can be understood as an interference effect of electron waves partially reflected at each interface with spin dependent reflection coefficients [7]. Therefore, one can expect the magnetic properties, which are related to the interlayer exchange coupling parameter, to oscillate as a function of the spacer thickness. However, relatively few results have been reported concerning experimental investigations of basic magnetic properties of exchange coupled layers. Oscillations of the magnetic anisotropy and the Kerr rotation angle in magnetic films covered by non-magnetic overlayers have been reported [8, 9]. It has been also experimentally found that the Curie temperature, ground state magnetic moment, and spin wave stiffness parameter are the oscillatory functions of the thickness of non-magnetic layer [10]. Moreover, in the recent paper the onset of long-range order in exchange coupled epitaxial monolayers is investigated by temperature dependent susceptibility and element resolved magnetization measurements [11].