MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF MULTILAYERS FROM SOFT-X-RAY MAGNETIC CIRCULAR-DICHROISM

Soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) is the difference between the absorptivity or reflectivity of left and right circularly polariz ed soft X-rays at the magnetically interesting L(2,3) edges of 3d tran sition metals or the M(4,5) edges of the 4f rare earth elements. Thank s to its large absorption cross-section and strong MCD effect, this te chnique has become a powerful new means for probing, in an element- an d site-specific manner, the magnetic properties of ultra-thin films an d multilayers. Soft X-ray MCD experiments, recently conducted at the D ragon beamline, are utilized to demonstrate the key applications of th is technique in magnetic thin film research.