Magnetic structure at copper-permalloy interfaces

First principles local spin density calculations of the magnetic structure of interdiffused Cu/Py multilayers were performed. It was possible to solve the Kohn-Sham [Phys. Rev. 140, A1133 (1965)] equations for both canted and collinear magnetic arrangements to a high level of convergence. We found m ultiple, metastable, noncollinear magnetic structures that showed a reduced contribution to the saturation magnetization consistent with roughly one " magnetic dead" layer per interface. These canted interface layers were stab le with respect to collinear interfaces by about 2 mRy per atom at the inte rface. The calculated noncollinear total spin magnetic moments as a functio n of the number of Py layers were in good agreement with the experiment. (C ) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)73708-4].