Magnetic structure in Fe/Sm-Co exchange spring bilayers with intermixed interfaces

Yaohua Liu, S. G.E. Te Velthuis, J. S. Jiang, Y. Choi, S. D. Bader, A. A. Parizzi, H. Ambaye, V. Lauter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

The depth profile of the intrinsic magnetic properties in an Fe/Sm-Co bilayer fabricated under nearly optimal spring-magnet conditions was determined by complementary studies of polarized neutron reflectometry and micromagnetic simulations. We found that at the Fe/Sm-Co interface, the magnetic properties change gradually at the length scale of 8 nm. In this intermixed interfacial region, the saturation magnetization and magnetic anisotropy are lower and the exchange stiffness is higher than values estimated from the model based on a mixture of Fe and Sm-Co phases. Therefore, the intermixed interface yields superior exchange coupling between the Fe and Sm-Co layers, but at the cost of average magnetization.

Original languageEnglish
Article number174418
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume83
Issue number17
DOIs
StatePublished - May 6 2011
Externally publishedYes

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