Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 903-906 (1991)

                                                                    [Issue 7 - August 1991 ]

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Oscillations with a period of two Cr monolayers in the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling in a (001) Fe/Cr/Fe sandwich structure

      S. T. Purcell, W. Folkerts, M. T. Johnson, N. W. E. McGee, K. Jager, J. aan de Stegge, W. B. Zeper, and W. Hoving 
      Philips Research, P.O. Box 80000, 5600 JA Eindhoven, The Netherlands

      P. Grünberg 
      Institut für Festkörperforschung der Kernforschungsanlage, D-5170 Jülich, Germany

Received 29 April 1991

Oscillations with a period of two Cr monolayers were measured in the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between Fe magnetizations separated by Cr. The coupling was measured on a sample
consisting of a Au(20 Å)/Fe(50 Å)/Cr(0-18 Å wedge) film deposited by molecular-beam epitaxy on a Fe[100] single-crystal ``whisker.'' The Cr and Fe grew monolayer by monolayer as monitored
by reflection high-energy-electron diffraction. The coupling was determined from the magneto-optic Kerr effect. It was antiferromagnetic for 5-18 Å Cr with four strong peaks and a maximum value
of -0.60 mJ/m2 for eight monolayers of Cr.

©1991 The American Physical Society

URL: http://publish.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v67/p903
PACS: 75.50.Bb, 75.70.Ak