A polarized neutron reflectometry study on 60 x Fe31Co68V1/Ti75Zr25 multilayers

We present a study of the magnetic behavior of 60 x Fe31Co68V1/Ti75Zr25 mul tilayers with applied field along the easy and hard axis. We performed pola rized neutron reflectometry experiments with polarization analysis at a tim e-of-flight setup. At applied fields above 16 kA/m the sample was magnetica lly saturated. The reduction of high-order Bragg superlattice reflections i s interpreted as inter-layer roughness of about 2 nm. In the low-field regi on, the first-order Bragg reflection consists of a broad and a sharp peak, indicating separate contributions from macroscopic magnetically ordered and disordered regions. Spin flipped neutron reflectivities observed at low fi elds are attributed to domains with local easy axis not parallel to the app lied field. The increase in spin flipped neutron reflectivity at high incid ent angle is ascribed to domains sizes in the order of tens of microns. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.