Thermal enhancement of the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between Fe epilayers separated by a crystalline ZnSe spacer

We provide evidence for the existence of an antiferromagnetic coupling between iron epilayers separated by a wedge-like ZnSe crystalline semiconductor by magnetometric and ferromagnetic resonance experiments. The coupling strength of 46 muJ m(-2) for t(ZnSe) = 25 A(ngstrom) is strongly reduced as th...

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Published inJournal of physics. Condensed matter Vol. 18; no. 39; pp. 9105 - 9118
Main Authors Varalda, J, Milano, J, de Oliveira, A J A, Kakuno, E M, Mazzaro, I, Mosca, D H, Steren, L B, Eddrief, M, Marangolo, M, Demaille, D, Etgens, V H
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol IOP Publishing 04.10.2006
Institute of Physics
IOP Publishing [1989-....]
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Summary:We provide evidence for the existence of an antiferromagnetic coupling between iron epilayers separated by a wedge-like ZnSe crystalline semiconductor by magnetometric and ferromagnetic resonance experiments. The coupling strength of 46 muJ m(-2) for t(ZnSe) = 25 A(ngstrom) is strongly reduced as the barrier thickness is increased. The coupling increases linearly with temperature from 5 to 300 K, with a 5.5 x 10(-9) J m(-2) K(-1) rate. Thermally induced effective exchange coupling mediated by spin-dependent tunnelling of electrons via localized mid-gap defect states in the ZnSe spacer layer appears to be the most plausible mechanism to induce the antiferromagnetic coupling.
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content type line 23
ISSN:0953-8984
1361-648X
DOI:10.1088/0953-8984/18/39/036