MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF (1(1)OVER-BAR-02) DY Y SUPERLATTICES/

Epitaxial <(1(1)over bar 02)> Dy/Y rare earth superlattices and a thic k <(1(1)over bar 02)> Dy film, grown on sapphire with Y/Ta buffer laye rs, have been prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. Neutron diffraction and SQUID magnetization measurements on a single 200 nm thick <(1(1)ov er bar 02)> Dy layer showed nearly bulk behavior. However, for the <(1 (1)over bar 02)> Dy/Y superlattices we found different magnetic behavi or depending on the relative Dy to Y-layer thickness. The superlattice s exhibit both ferromagnetic and helical phases, but with the Neel and Curie temperatures significantly different from bulk Dy. These result s differ from previous findings in Dy/Y superlattices grown along [000 1]. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.