Effect of atomic steps on the interfacial interaction of FeMnCo films grown on vicinal Cu(001)

J. Choi; J. Wu; Y. Z. Wu; C. Won; A. Scholl; A. Doran; T. Owens; Z. Q. Qiu

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.76.054407

Effect of atomic steps on the interfacial interaction of FeMnCo films grown on vicinal Cu(001)

J. Choi, J. Wu, Y. Z. Wu, C. Won, A. Scholl, A. Doran, T. Owens, Z. Q. Qiu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

FeMnCo ultrathin films were epitaxially grown on vicinal Cu(001) and investigated by using photoemission electron microscopy and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect. The FeMn antiferromagnetic order increases the Co coercivity and switches the Co magnetization easy axis from the in-plane [110] axis to the in-plane [100] axis. To separate the effects of atomic steps along different orientations, we modify the [110] and [100] step densities by growing the FeMnCo film on vicinal Cu(001) with steps parallel to [110] and [100] axes. We find that the [110] steps weaken the Co coercivity enhancement, while the [100] steps enhance the Co coercivity enhancement. This result supports the mechanism that the Co in-plane magnetization switching is due to the spin pinning of the FeMn at the [100]-type atomic steps.

Original language	English
Article number	054407
Journal	Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume	76
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.76.054407
Publication status	Published - 3 Aug 2007

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abstract = "FeMnCo ultrathin films were epitaxially grown on vicinal Cu(001) and investigated by using photoemission electron microscopy and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect. The FeMn antiferromagnetic order increases the Co coercivity and switches the Co magnetization easy axis from the in-plane [110] axis to the in-plane [100] axis. To separate the effects of atomic steps along different orientations, we modify the [110] and [100] step densities by growing the FeMnCo film on vicinal Cu(001) with steps parallel to [110] and [100] axes. We find that the [110] steps weaken the Co coercivity enhancement, while the [100] steps enhance the Co coercivity enhancement. This result supports the mechanism that the Co in-plane magnetization switching is due to the spin pinning of the FeMn at the [100]-type atomic steps.",

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T1 - Effect of atomic steps on the interfacial interaction of FeMnCo films grown on vicinal Cu(001)

AU - Choi, J.

AU - Wu, J.

AU - Wu, Y. Z.

AU - Won, C.

AU - Scholl, A.

AU - Doran, A.

AU - Owens, T.

AU - Qiu, Z. Q.

PY - 2007/8/3

Y1 - 2007/8/3

N2 - FeMnCo ultrathin films were epitaxially grown on vicinal Cu(001) and investigated by using photoemission electron microscopy and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect. The FeMn antiferromagnetic order increases the Co coercivity and switches the Co magnetization easy axis from the in-plane [110] axis to the in-plane [100] axis. To separate the effects of atomic steps along different orientations, we modify the [110] and [100] step densities by growing the FeMnCo film on vicinal Cu(001) with steps parallel to [110] and [100] axes. We find that the [110] steps weaken the Co coercivity enhancement, while the [100] steps enhance the Co coercivity enhancement. This result supports the mechanism that the Co in-plane magnetization switching is due to the spin pinning of the FeMn at the [100]-type atomic steps.

AB - FeMnCo ultrathin films were epitaxially grown on vicinal Cu(001) and investigated by using photoemission electron microscopy and surface magneto-optical Kerr effect. The FeMn antiferromagnetic order increases the Co coercivity and switches the Co magnetization easy axis from the in-plane [110] axis to the in-plane [100] axis. To separate the effects of atomic steps along different orientations, we modify the [110] and [100] step densities by growing the FeMnCo film on vicinal Cu(001) with steps parallel to [110] and [100] axes. We find that the [110] steps weaken the Co coercivity enhancement, while the [100] steps enhance the Co coercivity enhancement. This result supports the mechanism that the Co in-plane magnetization switching is due to the spin pinning of the FeMn at the [100]-type atomic steps.

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Effect of atomic steps on the interfacial interaction of FeMnCo films grown on vicinal Cu(001)

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