Magnetic ordering in Fe/Co sandwiches on Cu(100)

Abstract

We investigate magnetic correlations and local magnetic moments at finite temperatures of some Fe and Co multilayers on Cu(100) substrates, such as Co(m)Fe(n)Co(m)/Cu(100) and Fe(m)Co(n)Fe(m)/Cu(100). We use an ab initio mean-field theory of magnetic fluctuations for layered materials based on the first-principles local spin-density functional theory implemented through the screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method. We find that the presence of Fe layers in the neighbourhood of a Co layer always leads to a reduction in the magnetic moment of the Co atoms, whereas that of the Fe atoms is enhanced. Of particular interest is the lack of local moment formation on the single fcc-Co layer sandwiched between two fcc-Fe layers. However, a Co layer completely immersed in a Cu environment remains ferromagnetic. The Curie temperature of the Co(m)Fe(n)Co(m)/Cu(100) system oscillates as the Fe layer thickness is increased whereas that of the Fe(m)Co(n)Fe(m)/Cu(100) system increases almost monotonically with Co layer thickness.