Schlickum U, Janke-Gilman N, Wulfhekel W, Kirschner J. Step-induced frustration of antiferromagnetic order in Mn on Fe(001).
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2004;
92:107203. [PMID:
15089238 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.92.107203]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2003] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
We studied the spin arrangement in ultrathin antiferromagnetic Mn films in contact with a ferromagnetic Fe(001) substrate using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. Mn shows a layerwise antiferromagnetic order on Fe(001). In regions where Mn overgrows Fe steps, a frustration of the antiferromagnetic order occurs which is similar to a 180 degrees domain wall. This topologically enforced frustration was studied as a function of Mn thickness. A linear increase of the width of the frustration region with the Mn thickness was found.
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