JMMM 113 (1992) 207-220

Magnetic step anisotropies

M. Albrecht, T. Furubayashi, M. Przybylski, J. Korecki and U. Gradmann

Magnetic step anisotropies result from changed local symmetries of step 
atoms in comparison with surface atoms. They are determined experimentally 
for the case of steps along [001] on Fe(110) surfaces by comparing the 
anisotropies o fepitaxial Fe(110) films on W(110) with smooth surfaces and 
those with a high density of steps along [001], as tested by spot profile 
analysis LEED (SPA-LEED). Surplus anisotropy energies per step atoms are 
of the same order as anisotropy energies per surface atoms. The 
experimental results are in surprisingly good agreement with predictions 
from an apporiate extension of Neel's phenomenologival model of surfave 
anisotropies to step anisotropies.