OSCILLATORY PERPENDICULAR MAGNETIC-ANISOTROPY AND LATTICE PLANE SPACING IN FE AU SUPERLATTICES/

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy has been investigated for Fe(x ML)/A u(x ML) superlattices (ML: monatomic layer thickness) with x ranging f rom 1 to 4. The x-ray diffraction analyses indicate the formation of c oherent layered structures both for x=integers and nonintegers. Howeve r, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for x=nonintegers shows diffe rent behavior from that for x=integers, and consequently, it oscillate s as a function of x with a period of 1 ML. Furthermore, the out-of-pl ane lattice spacing also oscillates in the same manner. (C) 1998 Ameri can Institute of Physics.