Growth, crystalline structure and magnetic properties of ultrathin alloy films CoxNi1-xCu(100)

Magnetic ultrathin alloy films CoxNi1-x/Cu(100) were prepared to characteri ze the behavior of spin reorientation transition (SRT). With the double cal ibration by medium energy electron diffraction oscillation and Auger electr on spectroscopy, the composition of the alloy films was controlled within a n accuracy of +/-0.5%. which allowed us to prepare alloy films in very low Co concentration. The critical thickness of SRT in alloy ultrathin films Co xNi1-x/ Cu(100) was significantly delayed for x less than 10%. and for x = 10% alloy films, at least up to 20.6 ML, always revealed in-plane anisotrop y. Besides the sensitive influence of composition on SRT behavior when x le ss than or equal to 10%, the vertical interlayer distance of all the films did not show any significant difference. These results were consistent with prior theoretical calculation, in which the magnetic anisotropy was conclu ded to change sign abruptly while tuning a few average number of 3d electro n. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.