Eur. Phys. J. B 16, 653-658 (2000)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510070182

Magnetic properties of (Co_nPd_m)_rsuperstructures on Pd(100) and Pd(111)

¹ Center for Computational Materials Science, Gumpendorfer Str. 1a, 1060 Vienna, Austria
² Department of Theoretical Physics, Technical University Budapest, Budafoki út 8, 1521, Budapest, Hungary
³ Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France

Received: 3 November 1999
Revised: 18 January 2000
Published online: 15 August 2000

Abstract

The magnetic properties of (Co_nPd_m)_r superstructures on Pd(100) and Pd(111) are evaluated using the fully-relativistic spin-polarized screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method. It is found that only in the case of a Pd(111) substrate such superstructures exhibit perpendicular magnetism, while on a Pd(100) substrate the magnetization is oriented in-plane. Also investigated is the effect of interdiffusion in repeated superstructures. By using the inhomogeneous coherent potential approximation (CPA) for layered systems the effect of ordering into (repeated) superstructures can be described in an ab-initio-like manner. It is found that already small amounts of interdiffusion can be decisive for the actual value of the magnetic anisotropy energy.