AVS 45th International Symposium
    Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Technical Group Thursday Sessions
       Session MI-ThP

Paper MI-ThP3
Interface Alloying and Deterioration of the Magnetic Properties in Co/Cu(001)

Thursday, November 5, 1998, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A

Session: Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Poster Session
Presenter: T. de Vries, University of Twente, The Netherlands
Authors: S. van Dijken, University of Twente, The Netherlands
L.C. Jorritsma, University of Twente, The Netherlands
T. de Vries, University of Twente, The Netherlands
B. Poelsema, University of Twente, The Netherlands
Correspondent: Click to Email
The initial growth of Co-films on Cu(001) and their magnetic properties are studied in a wide temperature range using helium diffraction (TEAS), high resolution low energy electron diffraction (SPA-LEED) and sensitive magneto-optical (SMOKE) measurements. TEAS shows that first an almost perfect bilayer is grown even at relatively low temperatures (250 K). Its microcopic origin is discussed. SPA-LEED data reveal a distinct anomaly in the temperature dependence of the island separation occurring at about 325 K, where the drastic decrease of the separation and a clear broadening of the separation distribution function is attibuted to an increased interface alloying. This morphological change coincides with a substantial decay of the Curie temperature, Tc, of a 2 ML thick Co film as detected with SMOKE measurements and compared to those found for films grown between 250 and 300 K. A lower Tc is also found for different reasons (film roughness!) at deposition temperatures below 225 K.