Pseudomorphic Co/Cr(110) films investigated by magnetic dichroism in photoemission and MOKE

The electronic and magnetic properties of heteroepitaxial Co/Cr(1 1 0) film s are investigated by magnetic dichroism in UV photoemission and the magnet o-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). The Cr(1 1 0) host supports pseudomorphic gro wth of single crystalline and uniform Co films several nanometers in thickn ess. Pronounced magnetic dichroism occurs in the valence band region close to the Fermi edge. The observed spin-averaged valence band spectra and the asymmetry in photoemission intensity upon magnetization reversal are discus sed in conjunction with the well-established spin-dependent band structure of body-centered cubic Co. The azimuthal dependence of the magnetic dichroi c effect suggests two-fold easy axis behavior with the spontaneous in-plane magnetization aligned along [0 0 1], which is corroborated by complementar y MOKE measurements. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.