Layer magnetization evolution in an Fe/Cr multilayer with uniaxial anisotropy

The direction of the magnetization of each Fe layer in an Fe/Cr multilayer with uniaxial anisotropy was determined with polarized neutron reflectometry. The vectors of the layer magnetization of the multilayer transit from an antiferromagnetic alignment into a nearly ferromagnetic one with increasing magnetic field. In the transition region the system consists of an antiferromagnetically aligned part and a ferromagnetically aligned part. The magnetization curve is characterized by the subsequent switching of the antiferromagnetically aligned bilayers into the nearly ferromagnetically aligned state. Via this mechanism the antiferromagnetic part of the multilayer reduces in favor of the ferromagnetically aligned part with increasing magnetic field.