XMCD studies of epitaxially grown Mn1-xPtx / Ferromagnet exchange bilayers with (001) orientation

In this study the exchange anisotropies of (001) oriented Mn_1-xPt_x/NiFe epitaxial bilayers were investigated, and found that the bilayer exhibit both strong 1-and 4-fold anisotropies, which was hard to be understood by a simple single spin model. Thus, XMCD (X-ray magnetic circular dichroism) measurements has been carried out to insight the magnetism of Mn and Fe or Co at the interface of Ni₈₀Fe₂₀/Mn_1-xPt_x and Co₉₀Fe₁₀/Mn_1-xPt_x since XMCD measurements allow element specific investigation. In this study, the Mn_1-xPt_x layer was deposited by MBE prior to the NiFe or CoFe to measure XMCD spectra of Mn at F/AF interface by using surface sensitive total electron yield method. Magnetic hysteresis, exchange coupling, magnetic moment and anisotropy at interfaces were measured respectively.