Static magnetic proximity effect in Pt/Ni1xFex bilayers investigated by x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity

C. Klewe, T. Kuschel, J.-M. Schmalhorst, F. Bertram, O. Kuschel, J. Wollschläger, J. Strempfer, M. Meinert, and G. Reiss
Phys. Rev. B 93, 214440 – Published 30 June 2016

Abstract

We present x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity (XRMR) as a very sensitive tool to detect proximity induced interface spin polarization in Pt/FM heterostructures. Different XRMR experiments are carried out and the results are evaluated for their dependence on the magneto-optical depth profile, the photon energy, the optical parameters, and the ferromagnetic material. We demonstrate that a detailed analysis of the reflected x-ray intensity gives insight into the spatial distribution of the spin polarization of a nonmagnetic metal across the interface to a ferromagnetic layer. The evaluation of the experimental results with simulations based on optical data from ab initio calculations provides the induced magnetic moment per Pt atom in the spin-polarized volume adjacent to the ferromagnet. For a series with different ferromagnetic materials consisting of Pt/Fe, Pt/Ni33Fe67, Pt/Ni81Fe19 (permalloy), and Pt/Ni bilayers we find the largest spin polarization in Pt/Fe and a much smaller magnetic proximity effect in Pt/Ni. Additional XRMR experiments with varying photon energy are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions for the energy dependence of the magneto-optical parameters and allow identifying the optical dispersion δ and absorption β across the PtL3-absorption edge.

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  • Received 17 June 2015
  • Revised 4 June 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.214440

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

C. Klewe1,*, T. Kuschel1, J.-M. Schmalhorst1, F. Bertram2, O. Kuschel3, J. Wollschläger3, J. Strempfer2, M. Meinert1, and G. Reiss1

  • 1Center for Spinelectronic Materials and Devices, Department of Physics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
  • 2Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
  • 3Fachbereich Physik, Universität Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 7, 49069 Osnabrück, Germany

  • *Corresponding author: cklewe@lbl.gov

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Issue

Vol. 93, Iss. 21 — 1 June 2016

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