Static and Dynamic Magnetic Properties of Fe--Cr-Layered Structures With Antiferromagnetic Interlayer Exchange

Thin films of Fe, when separated by approx 8 A of Cr, couple antiferromagnetically. Evidence for this comes from spin-wave-mode spectra as measured by means of the light scattering and hysteresis curves, obtained by means of the magneto-optic Kerr effect. Based on new and more-detailed data the behavior of a particular spin-wave mode due to the spin canting induced by the antiferromagnetic coupling is discussed. It is related to a Goldstone mode. The experiments also show that antiferromagnetic coupling occurs not only for films grown along (100) but also for films grown along (110). The implications of this observation are discussed. 12 ref.--AA