Theory of interlayer exchange interactions in magnetic multilayers

This paper presents a review of the phenomenon of interlayer exchange coupling in magnetic multilayers. The emphasis is put on a pedagogical presentation of the mechanism of the phenomenon, which has been successfully explained in terms of a spin-dependent quantum confinement effect. The theoretical predictions are discussed in connection with corresponding experimental investigations.Comment: 18 pages, 4 PS figures, LaTeX with IOP package; v2: ref. added. Further (p)reprints available from http://www.mpi-halle.de/~theory

One-dimensional spin-polarized quantum-wire states in Au on Ni(110)

Au chain structures have been prepared on Ni(110). Au6s, p-derived features in photoemission spectra are identified as quantum-wire states due to their strong dispersion along the chains and absence of dispersion perpendicular to the chains in agreement with our ab initio calculation of the electronic structure. Spin analysis reveals that the states have minority-spin character showing that the confinement of electrons in the chain structure depends on the electron spin

Magnetic and finite size effects in Cu films on Co(100)

Finite size and magnetic effects have been investigated in epitaxial Cu films on Co(100) by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission. The dispersion of fourteen distinct quantum well branches could be followed in atomically smooth films of thickness between 1 and 50 atomic layers. The measurement of the photoelectron spin polarization shows that magnetic quantum size effects in the Cu conduction band extend well beyond the interface region. These results support a description of multilayer exchange coupling phenomena based on the spin-dependent quantum confinement of conduction electrons within the non-magnetic layer

Magnetic quantum size effects in Cu films on Co(100)

The observation of 14 distinct branches of magnetic quantum well states in Cu films (1-50 atomic layers) on Co(100) supports a description of multilayer exchange coupling based on spin-dependent quantum confinement within the non-magnetic layers