Magnetic ordering and anisotropies of atomically layered Fe/Au(001) multilayers

we investigate the temperature dependence of the magnetization reversal pro cess and of spinwaves in epitaxially grown (0 0 1)-oriented [Fe-m/Au-n](30) multilayers (m = 1, 2; n = 1-6). Both polar magneto-optic kerr effect and Brillouin light scattering measurements reveal that all investigated multil ayers, apart from the [Fe-2/Au-1](30)-sample, are magnetized perpendicular to the film plane. The out-of-plane anisotropy constants are obtained. At h igh temperature, the magnetization curves are well described by an alternat ing stripe domain structure with free mobile domain walls, and at low tempe rature by a thermal activation model for the domain wall motion. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.