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Surface structural effects accompanying the antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic magnetostructral transition of epitaxial FeRh thin films were investigated by grazing incidence x-ray scattering. Measurement of the film lattice parameters and variation of x-ray incident angles allow observation of the transition character on scales ranging from a few nm to the total through-thickness of the film. Out-of-plane lattice measurements confirm that the ferromagnetic phase nucleates from the surface during the heating process and is retained at the surface below the transition temperature during the cooling process. These results suggest that surface strain relief fosters nucleation of the ferromagnetic phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the reversal of the bulk and interfacial magnetizations of the free layer of a spin valve using soft x-ray resonant magnetic scattering. By dusting the interface of the NiFe free layer with a few angströms of Co, we were able to distinguish between the interfacial and bulk magnetisms by tuning the x-ray photon energy. We measured hysteresis loops of reflected x-ray intensity at selected points in reciprocal space. We find no difference in the switching fields, showing that in transition metal ferromagnets, the exchange interactions are sufficiently strong to prevent a separate interfacial coercivity from arising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report on the use of a Co/Pt multilayer, which exhibits strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, to magnetostatically imprint a domain pattern onto a 50 Å thick Permalloy layer. Element specific soft x-ray magnetic scattering experiments were then performed so as to be sensitive to the magnetic structure of the Permalloy only. Off-specular magnetic satellite peaks, corresponding to a periodic domain stripe width of 270 nm, were observed, confirmed by magnetic force microscopy and micromagnetic modeling. Thus the authors have exploited the element specificity of soft x-ray scattering to discern the purely magnetic correlations in a structurally flat Permalloy film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of soft x-ray resonant magnetic scattering experiments conducted on Co/Ru magnetic multilayers patterned into a reflection grating. Sample magnetization dependent scans of the in-plane wave vector transfer were performed to probe the relationship between the lateral physical and magnetic structures. Different Fourier components were found to dominate the sum and difference of these spectra, corresponding to different lateral wave forms for the structure-structure and structure-magnetism correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]