Competing exchange interactions in magnetic multilayers.
We have studied alloying of the nonmagnetic spacer layer with a magnetic material as a method of tuning the interlayer coupling in magnetic multilayers. We have specifically studied the Fe/V(100) system by alloying the spacer V with various amounts of Fe. For some Fe concentrations in the spacer, it is possible to create a competition between antiferromagnetic Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yoshida exchange and direct ferromagnetic exchange coupling. The exchange coupling and transport properties for a large span of systems with different spacer concentrations and thicknesses were calculated and measured experimentally and good agreement between observations and theory was observed. A reduction in magnetoresistance of about 50% was observed close to the switchover from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic coupling.
Department of Physics, Uppsala University, Box 530, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Skubic
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Holmström
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Iuşan
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Bengone
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Eriksson
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Brucas
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Hjörvarsson
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Stanciu
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Nordblad