Very high quality NiO films have been grown on Fe(001) by means of Molecular Beam Epitaxy. The chemical and magnetic properties of the NiO/Fe(001) interface have been evaluated by means of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism. Furthermore, combined use of X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism and PhotoElectron Emission Microscopy allowed to observe an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in very thin NiO films. For NiO films thinner than about 9 atomic layers the NiO magnetic moments align in-plane perpendicular to the Fe substrate magnetization. Above such critical thickness the coupling turns out to be collinear. The effects of thermal treatments, fundamental to produce exchange-biased structures, have also been considered.
Chemical and Magnetic Properties of NiO Thin Films Epitaxially Grown on Fe(001)
BRAMBILLA, ALBERTO
2008-01-01
Abstract
Very high quality NiO films have been grown on Fe(001) by means of Molecular Beam Epitaxy. The chemical and magnetic properties of the NiO/Fe(001) interface have been evaluated by means of X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism. Furthermore, combined use of X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism and PhotoElectron Emission Microscopy allowed to observe an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in very thin NiO films. For NiO films thinner than about 9 atomic layers the NiO magnetic moments align in-plane perpendicular to the Fe substrate magnetization. Above such critical thickness the coupling turns out to be collinear. The effects of thermal treatments, fundamental to produce exchange-biased structures, have also been considered.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
