Lu, Y., Przybylski, M., Nyvlt, M., Winkelmann, A., Yan, L., Shi, Y., Barthel, J., Kirschner, J.
Growth and magnetism of Co films on a Pd monolayer on Cu(001)
Physical Review B 73, (3),pp 035429/1-9 (2006)
We have grown epitaxial Co films on single monolayers (ML) of Pd on Cu(001) substrates at room temperature. The interlayers of Pd were grown by pulsed laser deposition whereas the Co films were prepared by thermal deposition. A layer-by-layer growth mode of Co on the 1 ML Pd/Cu(001) system continues up to at least 11 ML of Co in contrast to the 4 ML of Co on the Pd(001) substrate. This is due to a reduced lattice mismatch for the Co films on the Pd/Cu(001) system in comparison to the Co films on the Pd(001) substrate. On the basis of magneto-optical Kerr rotation data we discuss the effect of the Co-Pd interface contribution to magnetism and to the magneto-optical response.