Soft X-ray resonant Kerr rotation measurement and simulation of element-resolved and interface-sensitive magnetization reversals in a NiFe/FeMn/Co trilayer structure

Abstract

We report experimental observations of element- and buried interface-resolved magnetization reversals in an oppositely exchange-biased NiFe/FeMn/Co trilayer structure by soft x-ray resonant Kerr rotation measurements. Not only Co-, Ni-, Fe-specific exchange-biased loops but also interfacial uncompensated (UC) Fe reversal loops coupled to the individual Co and NiFe layers are separately observed. From the experimental results interpreted with the help of the model simulations of soft x-ray resonant Kerr rotation, the effective thicknesses of interfacial UC regions at the buried interfaces of both FeMn/Co and NiFe/FeMn are found to be t(UC) = 13 +/- 2 angstrom and 6 +/- 4 angstrom respectively. The depth sensitivity as well as element specificity of the x-ray resonant Kerr effect offer an elegant way into the investigations of element- and depth-resolved magnetization reversals of ferromagnetic ultrathin regions at buried interfaces in multicomponent multilayer films. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.