Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme
Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help
MA: Fachverband Magnetismus
MA 18: Magnetic Thin Films II
MA 18.12: Talk
Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 18:15–18:30, H3
Forcing ferromagnetism in Fe/Gd thin films via Cr interlayer — •Carolin Antoniak1, Bernhard Krumme1, Anne Warland1, Frank Stromberg1, Biplab Sanyal2, Christian Praetorius3, Kai Fauth3, Olle Eriksson2, and Heiko Wende1 — 1Fakultät für Physik and CeNIDE, Universität Duisburg-Essen (Germany) — 2Department of Physics and Materials Science, Uppsala University (Sweden) — 3Experimentelle Physik IV, Universität Würzburg (Germany)
Magnetic materials with a large saturation magnetic moment are used in many applications like e.g. write heads for computer hard disk drives. Since the rare earth metals are known for their large magnetic moments but low Curie temperatures, one may think of a rare earth/3d transition metal system to achieve a high saturation magnetic moment in combination with an enhanced Curie temperature caused by the coupling to the 3d transition element. As a prototype system, 13ML Gd on 15ML Fe was chosen. Since Fe and Gd spins tend to be aligned antiparallel, a ferromagnetic coupling between these compounds was forced by a Cr interlayer. The spin alignment was measured by means of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the Fe L3,2 and Gd M5,4 absorption edges. While for a Cr interlayer thickness of 4ML an antiparallel alignment was obtained, 5ML Cr yield a parallel alignment of Fe and Gd spins as predicted by theory. Temperature dependent measurements of the XMCD at the Gd M5,4 absorption edges indicate an enhanced Curie temperature due to the strong coupling to the Fe thin film. – Funded by BMBF(05ES3XBA/5) and DFG(SFB491).