J. Appl. Phys. 61 (8) 2262-3365 (1987)

Spin anisotropy of ferromagnetic slabs and overlayers (invited)

J. G. Gay and Roy Richter

We calculate the spin anisotropy of ferromagnetic monolayers of Fe, Ni, V 
and Co. We find the easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to 
the plane of the monolayer for Fe and V, but in the plane for Ni and Co. 
The result for Fe explains why spin splitting but no spin polarization is 
observed in recent photoemission experiments on Fe monolayers. For thicker 
ferromagnetic slabs, the depolarization energy will quickly overwhelm the 
spin anisotropy and force the moment into the plane of the slab. This is 
illustrated by calculations for thicker slabs of Fe. Preliminary 
calculations of the anisotropy of a monolayer of Fe on Ag indicate that 
the Ag must be treated fully relativistically.