Interlayer coupling and its dependence on growt and structure

P.A. Grunberg, A. Fuss, Q. Leng, R. Schreiber, J.A. Wolf

Interlayer exchange is of interest for magnetic storage media and for 
magnetic field sensors. In order to get a clearer picture on its 
microscopic origin we have investigated Fe/X/Fe structures with X=Cr, Au, 
Al and examined the dependence of the coupling on the growth and structure 
of the samples. These were grown by means of thermal evaporation and 
characterized in situ by means of RHEED. Under optimum conditions we find 
the coupling across Cr and Au, oscillations as a function of the 
interlayer thickness with a long and short period. For Al interlayers only 
long periods can be clearly resolved. Apart from the oscillations between 
ferro- and antiferromagnetic type coupling we find also contributions of 
90deg. type coupling which align the moments of the magnetic films 
perpendicular to each other. The temperature dependence of the coupling 
across Cr- and Au interlayers has also been investigated.