Magnetic field dependence of the canted spin moment around the interface between ferromagnetic Ni and antiferromagnetic FeMn revealed by the polarized neutron reflectivity

The canted magnetic moment around the interface between ferromagnetic Ni and antiferromagnetic FeMn films is observed, and its dependence on the in-plane magnetic field is revealed by means of the polarized neutron reflectivity. The Ni magnetic moment at the interface to the FeMn film is suggested to be canted to the in-plane direction, while that in the inner Ni layers remains rather perpendicular to the film at weak magnetic fields. The interface moment easily rotates to the in-plane direction as increasing the magnetic field, and finally the inner layer moment also aligns in the in-plane direction at higher magnetic fields. (author)