Bali, R., Soares, M. M., Ramos, A. Y., Tolentino, H. C. N., Yildiz, F., Boudot, C., Proux, C., de Santis, M., Przybylski, M., Kirschner, J.
Magnetic and structural properties of the Fe layers in CoO/Fe/Ag(001) heterostructure
Applied Physics Letters 100, (13),pp 132403/1-4 (2012)
The influence of interfacial oxidation on the magnetic behaviour of CoO covered Fe/Ag(001) is reported. Coverage with CoO causes the formation of a mixed Fe2O3-Fe3O4 interfacial oxide layer. The depth of the Fe-oxide varies with the thickness of pre-covered Fe and above 8 monolayers (MLs) of Fe the oxide depth becomes constant at 2 ML. Differences in exchange bias and coercivity obtained from magnetic field and zero field cooling nearly vanish above 8 ML Fe thickness, showing a direct correlation between the magnetic behaviour of Fe and structure of the interfacial Fe-oxide layer.