Magnetic field-induced spin reorientation in gadolinium surface layer of Gd/Fe multilayers

Magnetization processes in thin Gd/Fe multilayer films have been studied by means of the longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect and magnetization measurements. Comparison between magneto-optical and magnetic measurements allows one to conclude that a field-induced surface spin reorientation occurs in the studied films for a magnetic field applied in the film plane. The experimental results can be satisfactorily interpreted in the framework of the developed theoretical model. This model predicts a formation of a noncollinear magnetic structure within the gadolinium surface layer during the process of the field-induced spin reorientation phase transition. (orig.)