JMMM 135 (1994) 343-354

Magnetic anisotropies of Fe(110) interfaces

Helmut Fritzsche, H.J. Elmers and Ulrich Gradmann

Magnetic surface and interface anisotropies were determined for interfaces 
of Fe(110) with UHV, W, Cr, Cu, Ag and Au. This determination of single 
interface anisotropies is based on torsion oscillation magnetometry in 
situ in UHV of Fe(110) films on Cr(110), in extension of previous work on 
Fe(110)-films on W(110). The out-of-plane anisotropy of the W(110)/Fe(110) 
interface is easy plane with an extraordinary strength of 1.92 mJ/m^2, 
wehereas all other interfaces show perpendicular out-of-plane anisotropy. 
The in-plane surface anisotropy supports [001] for Fe/Cr and Fe/Au 
interfaces, it supports [1-10] for W/Fe, Fe/UHV, Fe/Cu and Fe/Ag 
interfaces. Higher order terms of angular dependence beyond Neel's 
quadratic approximation are needed for a full description of magnetic 
surface anisotropies. A convenient notation is proposed.