On the spin reorientation transition in ultra-thin Ni/Cu(001) films

The spin reorientation transition of the magnetization of ferromagnetic fil ms is studied on a microscopic basis within a Heisenberg spin model. Using a modified mean field formulation it is possible to calculate properties of magnetic thin films with non-integer thicknesses. This is especially impor tant for the spin reorientation transition in Ni/Cu(0 0 1), as the magnetic properties are sensitive functions of the film thickness. Detailed phase d iagrams in the thickness-temperature plane are calculated using experimenta l parameters and are compared with experimental measurements by Baberschke and Farle (J. Appl. Phys. 81 (1997) 5038). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.