BICRYSTALLINE MAGNETIC LATERAL SUPERLATTICES

We have studied the correlations between structural, magnetic and tran sport properties of bicrystalline lateral magnetic superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy on vicinal Si(111) substrates misoriented t owards [11(2) over bar]. The substrates were thermally pre-treated in order to activate the step bunching phenomena, which results in a late rally modulated surface topology with a period of approximate to 1000 Angstrom and an amplitude up to 80 Angstrom. 100 Angstrom thick Co or FeNi magnetic layers grown on such substrates exhibit an in-plane unia xial anisotropy with the easy axis parallel to the step direction. Tra nsmission electron microscopy experiments reveal that this anisotropy can be associated with a lateral pseudo-periodic variation of the epit axial relationship of the metallic layers. Magneto-resistance measurem ents on a 700 mu mx100 mu m active area surprisingly reveal a single-d omain behaviour with a magnetization reversal by rotation.