STUDY OF ULTRATHIN Y3FE5O12 GD3GA5O12 SUPERLATTICES/

High quality Y3Fe5O12/Gd3Ga5O12 (YIG/GGG) superlattices have been grow n on (111) GGG substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The superlattice s are investigated with the thickness of the YIG layer varied from six to one unit cells while keeping the GGG layer fixed at one unit cell. The thicknesses of the YIG and GGG layers are confirmed with grazing angle x-ray reflectivity (GAXR). The good quality of the samples is in dicated by; the small interface roughness, no more than 6 Angstrom, al so measured with GAXR. While the magnetization of the samples decrease s when the thickness of the YIG layer is decreased, the superlattice r emains magnetic even when the YIG layer is only one unit cell. Ferrima gnetic resonance indicates that there exists a surface anisotropy favo ring in-plane magnetization. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.