Magnetic properties of ultrathin Ni/Cu(100) films determined by a UHV-FMR study

• Published in: Surface science 1994-04, Vol.307, p.1102-1108
• Main Authors: Schulz, B., Schwarzwald, R., Baberschke, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; Ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and ferrimagnetic resonances; spin-wave resonance; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of monolayers and thin films; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect; Metals. Metallurgy; Physics
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-6028(94)91547-4

We have performed temperature dependent ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements in ultrahigh vacuum on ultrathin Ni films, epitaxially grown on Cu(100). The thickness dependence of anisotropy fields has been determined from measurements with parallel and perpendicular field orientation. Separating the resulting anisotropy constants in volume and surface contributions, we get K eff v ≈ 3.5(7) × 106 erg/cm 3 and K eff s = -0.17(3) erg/cm 2. K eff v is explained within a model of homogeneous strain due to pseudomorphic growth below 7 ML. In addition very small FMR linewidths of ∼ 200 G have been observed, indicating that the films consist of large magnetic homogeneous domains. The increase of the linewidth at the phase transition allows us to determine the Curie temperature, whose thickness dependence is explained by a finite size scaling law.