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X-ray magnetic circular dichroism photoelectron emission microscopy (XMCD-PEEM) is used for examining the magnetic domain patterns of epitaxial single-crystalline Co/FeMn bilayers and Co/Cu/FeMn trilayers. The coercivity declines with increasing Cu layer thickness in domain images of the Co layer acquired after the application of different external magnetic fields.

Photoelectron emission microscopy observation is performed on an FeNi alloy processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) in order to microscopically analyze magnetic domain structure, elemental distribution, and surface morphology. While belt-like magnetic domain structures with widths of 3 to 5 μm are observed at about 2 mm away from the sample disc center, only narrower magnetic domain structure is observed at 1 mm away from the disc center. While these magnetic domain structures are related to a product during the HPT process, they are related neither to inhomogeneity of elemental distribution nor to surface morphology. Therefore, it is suggested that the observed magnetic domains should be originated from an L10 phase. The present analysis indicates that atomic diffusion is significantly enhanced by processing the samples with HPT and post-annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeNi films were fabricated by sputtering and rapid thermal annealing on thermally amorphous substrates to realize the formation of an L10-FeNi phase by a simple method. Structural and magnetic properties of FeNi films were investigated by varying the annealing temperature. L10-FeNi superlattice peaks were not observed in X-ray diffraction patterns, indicating no formation of L10-ordered phase, however, the surface structure systematically changed with the annealing temperature. Magnetization curves also revealed a drastic change depending on the annealing temperature, which indicates the close relation between the morphology and magnetic properties of FeNi films fabricated on amorphous substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]