Magnetic profile and interlayer exchange coupling in fcc Fen/Nim (001) superlattices -: art. no. 144428

We have performed ab initio calculations to study the electronic and magnetic structures of fcc Fe-n/Ni-m(001) superlattices. A ferromagnetic coupling between Fe and Ni atoms is always obtained at the interfaces for any value of m or n. The interlayer exchange coupling between adjacent Ni-m slabs through Fe-n spacer displays an oscillatory behavior which is strongly modified when mixed Fe-Ni interfaces are considered. The iron atoms close to the interface form an induced ferromagnetic arrangement whereas the atoms inside the fcc Fe film give rise to an antiferromagnetic order. The compositional ordering at the Fe/Ni interface introduces a c(2x2) type of antiferromagnetism in the Fe layers in the case of ferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling.