Interface magnetometry in a (Fe6Å/Ni24Å)10 multilayer

Abstract The interplay between atomic geometry and magnetic properties of Fe atoms at the Fe–Ni(1 1 1) interface was studied. To this end dichroic optical absorption and reflectivity (both in energy and θ–2θ angular scan mode) were carried out in the L 2 , 3 edge region of Fe in (Fe 6 A /Ni 24 A (1 1 1)) 10 multilayer while the atomic geometry of the Fe site at the interface was studied for 1 atomic layer of Fe on Ni(1 1 1) by photo-electron diffraction (in angular scan mode and back-scattering regime). The Fe atom was found to be chemisorbed in an fcc hollow site and to stack pseudomorphically to Ni(1 1 1). Its magnetic moment was found to be in the range 2.9±0.9–1.93±0.6 μ B . Possibility of surface anisotropy is discussed.