New magnetic properties by ion beam mixing: Ag/Fe/Ag-(001)-films with tetragonal symmetry

In the thermally immiscible Ag/Fe (5-20 nm)/Ag-(001)-multilayer-structure i on beam mixing of the layers induces a strong tetragonal distortion of the Fe-layer. The induced changes of the magnetic properties were determined by the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and Faraday magnetometry (FM) methods, F or high dose irradiated samples of 10(16) cm(-2) a tetragonal symmetry of t he magnetic anisotropy fields was observed. An influence of the ion beam mi xing on the saturation magnetisation of the Fe-layer was not detected. Anne aling of the samples shows a recovery of the magnetic properties at 450-600 K indicating the influences on the magnetic propel ties are mainly caused by induced atomic intermixing of Ag in the Fe-layer and Fe in the Ag-layer. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.