Interlayer Exchange Coupling and Proximity Effect in V-Fe Multilayers

Abstract

We have studied interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) in (110) oriented V/Fe multilayers with ultrathin sublayers up to 7 monolayers (ML). Results showed that IEC energy depends on both vanadium and iron layer thicknesses. The local maxima of the antiferromagnetic coupling were found for V(7 ML)/Fe(4 ML) and V(3 ML)/Fe(3 ML) multilayers (MLs). The strongest AFM coupling energy of about 1.0 mJ/m 2 was measured at 5 K for the V(7 ML)/Fe(4 ML) multilayer. The position of the AFM peak for V(X ML)/Fe(3 ML) MLs near 3 ML of V spacer was also revealed by ab-initio calculations. Furthermore, theoretical calculations show an induced negative magnetic moment on V atoms near the V-Fe and Fe-V interfaces due to the proximity effect.