Spin Waves and Temperature Dependence of Magnetization in Nickel Thin Films Covered with Iron and Copper

Abstract

Energy spectrum and amplitudes of spin waves, as well as the temperature dependence of the local magnetization in Ni thin films covered with Fe and Cu overlayers are investigated within the framework of the itinerant electron approach. Two acoustic surface modes strongly localized in Fe overlayers are found. Energies of these modes are very close to each other but they are considerably lower than in Ni films with free surfaces. The presence of the strongly localized low-energy modes leads to fast decrease in the surface magnetization as compared to the central layer one. The quasi-linear temperature dependence of the surface magnetization is found whereas the central layer magnetization follows a quasi T312 law. On the other hand, in films covered with Cu the temperature dependence of the magnetization can be fitted to the Bloch law for all layers. Inside the film the Bloch coefficient weakly depends on the layer index but it rapidly decreases at the surface in the Cu layers. PACS numbers: 75.10.Lp, 75.30.Ds, 75.70.—i