Torsion oscillation magnetometry (TOM) of Fe films on Ni(111)/W(110) substrates

Abstract Fe films 2–20 atomic monolayers (ML) thick have been deposited on Ni(1 1 1) films (4–60 ML) prepared on W(1 1 0) under UHV conditions. The Ni(1 1 1) films grow in a Nishijama–Wassermann orientation with a 3.6% lattice expansion along Ni[2 1 1] (‖ W[1 1 0]). On top of these slightly distorted Ni films iron is observed to grow preferentially in two mirror orientations. The saturation magnetization of these Fe films and the anisotropies of Fe/Ni bilayers have been studied using torsion oscillation magnetometry. The magnetization of the Fe films of 2.13 μB per atom is close to the bulk value of Fe. The out-of-plane surface (interface) anisotropy constant KFeNis=(−0.65±0.15) mJ/m2 of th…