https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050435
Interfacial polarisation effect on the interlayer couplings in Co/Rh sandwiches
1
IPCMS-GEMME (UMR 46 CNRS-ULP.) , 23 rue du Loess,
67037 Strasbourg, France
2
Siemens AG, ZFE T MR 1, P.O. Box 3220, 91050 Erlangen, Germany
3
SNCMP (UMS 819 CNRS-UPS.) , INSA, Complexe Scientifique de Rangueil,
31077 Toulouse, France
Corresponding author: a aziz@atlas.u-strasbg.fr
Received:
18
February
1998
Revised:
30
April
1998
Accepted:
29
May
1998
Published online: 15 September 1998
The structural, magnetic and transport properties of Co/Rh sandwiches grown by ultra
high vacuum evaporation and sputtering have been studied. High-energy electron diffraction
observations during the growth reveal that both Co and Rh layers have been stabilised in the
(111) fcc structure for the evaporated sandwiches. X-ray measurements performed on
sputtered samples show a predominant fcc polycrystalline structure of the stacks with a
preferential (111) texture. Magnetisation and magnetoresistance measurements show a
very strong antiferromagnetic exchange coupling for thin Rh layers, reaching
for 4.8 Å Rh, the strongest ever observed in exchange
coupled systems. This value is in good agreement with the value of
obtained by ab initio calculations for Co/Rh (hcp) superlattices. This is explained
by the magnetic nature of the Co/Rh interfaces. Indeed, the variation of the measured
saturation magnetisation as a function of the Co layer thickness shows no evidence of Co moment
reduction for the Co atoms located at the interfaces, even for the very thin layers. The
value of the preserved magnetic moments of the cobalt atoms at the interfaces is confirmed
by ab initio calculations for Co/Rh superlattices taking the intermixing into account.
PACS: 75.70-i – Magnetic films and multilayers / 75.70.Cn – Interfacial magnetic properties (multilayers, magnetic quantum wells, superlattices, magnetic heterostructures) / 75.70.Pa – Giant magnetoresistance
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1998