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Journal of Applied Physics -- May 15, 1993 -- Volume 73, Issue 10, pp. 5957-5962

Origin of biquadratic exchange in magnetic multilayers (invited)

J. C. Slonczewski

IBM Research Division, Thomas J. Watson Research Center, P. O. Box 218, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598

We postulate localized-electron states with unpaired spin located within or at the interfaces of an otherwise nonmagnetic metallic spacer layer. Loose exchange coupling of these spins to two ferromagnets mediates a non-Heisenberg exchange coupling between them which includes a biquadratic term. A particular version of the model assumes that each interfacial layer of magnetic atoms is weakly exchange coupled to the remainder of the ferromagnets. This model permits interpretation of the biquadratic-coupling data of Gutierrez et al. for Fe/Al/Fe trilayers and of Fuss et al. for Fe/Au/Fe. According to this interpretation, the observed biquadratic coupling is intrinsic to the ideal multilayer structure rather than due to impurities or structural defects. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

DOI: 10.1063/1.353483
PACS: 75.70.Cn, 75.30.Et, 75.10.Lp        Additional Information

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