title: Spin-wave excitations: the main source of the temperature dependence of interlayer exchange coupling in nanostructures.
abstract: Quantum mechanical calculations based on an extended Heisenberg model are compared with ferromagnetic resonance experiments on prototype trilayer systems Ni(7)/Cu(n)/Co(2)/Cu(001) in order to determine and separate for the first time quantitatively the sources of the temperature dependence of interlayer exchange coupling. Magnon excitations are responsible for about 75% of the reduction of the coupling strength from zero to room temperature. The remaining 25% are due to temperature effects in the effective quantum well and the spacer-magnet interfaces.
authors.affiliation: Theoretische Physik I, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Postfach 10 05 65, 98684 Ilmenau, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwieger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kienert
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baberschke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nolting