Local magnetic study for cluster-layered Fe/Cr nanostructures

Local magnetic structures of cluster-layered Fe/Cr thin films are studied by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The magnetic moment of Fe atoms evaluated from XMCD for Al₂O₃/Cr(70Å)/[Fe(1.2Å )/Cr(10.5Å)]₃₀/Cr(12Å), which shows the minimum point in the resistivity, decreases as the temperature increases and disappears around the temperature of the minimum resistivity. EXAFS shows the local structure of this film around Fe atoms is rather disordered and it can be related the fluctuation of magnetic structure estimated from the theoretical analysis of the temperature dependence of magnetic moments. (paper)