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Journal of Applied Physics -- May 15, 1993 -- Volume 73, Issue 10, pp. 6201-6203

Magnetic moments in Cr thin films on Fe(100)

D. T. Pierce, R. J. Celotta, and J. Unguris

National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

The magnetism at the surface of a Cr film grown epitaxially on a Fe(100) whisker is observed as a function of Cr thickness by scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis. Use of a wedge-shaped film of linearly increasing thickness allows the magnetism to be followed continuously for 75 Cr layers. Over the temperature range measured from just below the Néel temperature of bulk Cr, T_N, to 1.8 T_N, the surface magnetic moment is seen to persist and change direction with each additional Cr layer, but there are phase slips in this antiferromagnetic ordering. These are consistent with an incommensurate spin density wave (SDW) in the Cr film having a wavelength of 40 layers at T_N. An irregularity in the antiferromagnetic stacking order in the first four layers is discussed and the behavior of the moments at the subsequent phase slip is examined. The limitations which prevent the determination of the surface magnetic moment from the spin polarization of secondary electrons are discussed. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

DOI: 10.1063/1.352697
PACS: 75.70.Ak, 75.30.Pd, 75.30.Cr, 75.50.Rr        Additional Information

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