Magnetism and morphology of Fe/Cu(111) films below two-dimensional percolation

Authors

J. Shen, Max–Planck–Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, 06120 Halle, GermanyFollow
Ralph Skomski, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
M. Klaua, Max–Planck–Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, 06120 Halle, Germany
H. Jenniches, Max–Planck–Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, 06120 Halle, Germany
S. Sundar Manoharan, Max–Planck–Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, 06120 Halle, Germany
J. Kirschner, Max–Planck–Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik, Weinberg 2, 06120 Halle, GermanyFollow

Date of this Version

4-15-1997

Comments

Published by Am Inst of Physics. . Appl. Phys. 81 (1997) 3901-3903. Copyright 1997. Permission to use. http://www.aip.org/.

Abstract

The magnetic properties of g-iron films on Cu(111) below the two-dimensional percolation threshold of about 1.4 monolayer are investigated. Iron on flat Cu(111) surfaces forms triangular patches, while it forms stripes along step edges on vicinal surfaces. The films exhibit an easy magnetization axis perpendicular to the film plane and magnetic hysteresis at sufficiently low temperatures. The magnetization curves of the triangular iron patches are discussed in terms of Ising superparamagnetism. From Kerr hysteresis loops, we deduce that the first anisotropy constant K₁ in the superparamagnetic films is of order 0.345±0.020 MJ/m³.