Wang, J., Kuch, W., Offi, F., Chelaru, L. I., Kotsugi, M., Kirschner, J.
Magnetic domain investigation in Co/Cu/FeMn trilayers
Journal of Applied Physics 95, (11),pp 7504-7506 (2004)
The magnetic domain patterns of epitaxial single-crystalline Co/FeMn bilayers
and Co/Cu/FeMn trilayers were investigated by magnetic circular dichroism
domain imaging using photoelectron emission microscopy. The as-grown domain
size increases continuously with increasing Cu layer thickness, which is
attributed to the decrease of the interlayer exchange coupling between
ferromagnetic Co and antiferromagnetic FeMn layers. Domain images of the Co
layer acquired after applying different external magnetic fields show a
decrease in coercivity with increasing Cu layer thickness, confirming the
reduction of magnetic coupling energy with increasing Cu thickness.