ELECTRONIC AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF FE AU MULTILAYERS AND INTERFACES

The electronic and magnetic structure of Fe/Au superlattices and interfaces are investigated with the, recently developed, layer Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method. Enhanced magnetism is seen in the Fe layer in all supercell and interface geometries studied with weak coupling between the Fe and Au layers. The Fe moment decreases gradually from 2.78 to 2.74μB as the number of mediating Au planes increases, converging to that obtained in the interface calculations. The Fe minority-hole states consist mainly of d-states with character orthogonal to the Fe plane which, if analysed in terms of a vector model for the orbital moment, would suggest a tendency for out-of-plane (perpendicular) anisotropy. Localized states, in gaps in the two-dimensional (2-D) band structure, were found at the X-point of the 2-D Brillouin Zone. These states are strongly localized, both in energy and space. © 1990.