CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ULTRATHIN-FILM MICROSTRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES FOR ROOM-TEMPERATURE EPITAXIAL-FILMS OF FCC FE CU(100)/

Correlation studies between thin film nanostructure and macroscopic ma gnetic properties in ultrathin fcc Fe films grown epitaxially on room temperature Cu(100) substrates were performed in situ using an ultrahi gh vacuum scanning transmission electron microscope and the surface ma gneto-optic Kerr effect. Nanometer lateral spatial resolution secondar y electron microscopy revealed no gross morphological changes in the 2 -10 monolayer thickness range. The use of broad-beam Auger electron sp ectroscopy as an indicator of Cu surface cleanliness is shown to have insufficient sensitivity to detect surface contamination as evidenced by corresponding secondary electron micrographs. Cu(100) surfaces with both (nearly) perfect and imperfect surface structure, and identical Fe coverages, possess nearly identical polar and longitudinal Kerr hys teresis loops. Analysis of reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns confirms that Fe films grown on room temperature Cu(100) rem ain fcc with the same in-plane lattice constant as the Cu template, fo r thicknesses up to 10 ML.