INTERFACE ANISOTROPY AND MAGNETIZATION REVERSAL IN EPITAXIAL FE(001) PD DOUBLE-LAYERS/

Static and dynamic magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe(001) films with Pd overlayers have been measured by means of Brillouin light scatteri ng and magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry. From low energy electro n diffraction studies, the initial growth of Pd [d(Pd)<2 monolayer (ML )] is identified as a self-formation process of quasione-dimensional P d structures. Auger electron spectroscopy examinations proved that for d(Pd)greater than or equal to 2 ML the Pd overlayers cover the Fe fil ms almost completely. The measured frequencies of the dipolar spin wav e mode and the derived anisotropy constants show a linear change with increasing d(Pd) up to 5 ML with following saturation. The M(H) curves show pronounced anomalies in the coercive field for d(Pd)<2 ML accomp anied by large tails in the hysteresis loops. The results are interpre ted as a strong pinning of domain walls caused by large local changes in the surface anisotropy due to the inhomogeneous Pd cover layer in t his regime. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.