PII: S0304-8853(98)01130-5 Copyright © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Phase transitions in magnetic multilayers; statics and dynamics D. L. Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy University of California, 4129 Frederick Reines Hall, Irvine, California 992697, USA Available online 7 January 2000.
D. L. Mills,
Magnetic multilayers which incorporate ultrathin ferromagnetic films are physical realizations of classical, one dimensional spin systems, with spins coupled via exchange mediated by spacer layers or interactions at interfaces, and subject to anisotropy. Here by `spin', we refer to the total spin angular momentum of an ultrathin film in the structure. Such systems can undergo a rich range of phase transitions, in reponse to an external magnetic field, or change in temperature. Since interfilm exchange is weak, modest magnetic fields can induce spin reorientation phase transitions. We thus have a new and diverse class of magnetic materials, with phase diagrams subject to design, since both thickness, composition, or growth conditions. The paper reviews selected examples, including recent studies of the dynamic response (AC susceptibility) of an antiferromagnetically coupled Fe/Cr system which undergoes the surface spin-flop transition.
Author Keywords: Magnetic multilayers; Spin reorientation transition; Phase transitions
1. M. Sajieddine, Ph. Bauer, K. Cherifi, C. Dufour, G. Marchal and R.E. Camley. Phys. Rev. B 49 (1994), p. 8815. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document | Full-text via CrossRef
2. R.E. Camley, J. Kwo, M. Hong and C.L. Chien. Phys. Rev. Lett. 64 (1990), p. 2703. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document | Full-text via CrossRef
3. J.J. Rhyne et al.. J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 129 (1994), p. 39. Abstract-INSPEC | Abstract-Compendex | $Order Document
4. E.E. Fullerton et al.. Phys. Rev. B 48 (1993), p. 15755. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document | Full-text via CrossRef
5. R.W. Wang, D.L. Mills, E.E. Fullerton, J.E. Mattson and S.D. Bader. Phys. Rev. Lett. 72 (1994), p. 920. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document | Full-text via CrossRef
6. D.L. Mills. Phys. Rev. Lett. 20 (1968), p. 18.
7. F. Keffer and H. Chow. Phys. Rev. Lett. 31 (1973), p. 1061. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document
8. S. Rakhmanova, D.L. Mills and E.E. Fullerton. Phys. Rev. B 57 (1998), p. 476. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document | APS full text | Full-text via CrossRef
9. L. Trallori et al.. Phys. Rev. Lett. 72 (1994), p. 1925. Abstract-INSPEC | $Order Document | Full-text via CrossRef
Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-949-8245148; fax: +1-949-8242174; email: dlmills@uci.edu
Send feedback to ScienceDirectSoftware and compilation © 2002 ScienceDirect. All rights reserved.ScienceDirect® is an Elsevier Science B.V. registered trademark.