Ion-erosion-induced pattern as template for layers with magnetic anisotropy and coupling

Ion-erosion-induced ripples are perfect template systems to systematically investigate the influence of a periodic surface modulation on magnetic properties like magnetic anisotropy in the case of single magnetic films or interlayer exchange coupling in the case of multilayer systems. One of the key advantages of these ripples is that their periodicity can easily be varied in the range between 20 and 60 nm. This matches exactly the range where magnetic properties can be affected by a surface modulation. Two different examples will be discussed: i.) ripple-induced magnetic anisotropies in soft magnetic Permalloy films [1,2] and ii.) the appearance of roughness induced magnetic coupling, e.g. Neel coupling, in multilayer systems [3]. In both cases a significant influence of the surface and interface modulation on the magnetic properties is observed, which drastically depends on the ripple periodicity itself.
References:
[1] M.O. Liedke, B. Liedke, A. Keller, B. Hillebrands, A. Mücklich, S. Facsko, J. Fassbender, Phys. Rev. B 75, 220407 (2007).
[2] J. Fassbender, T. Strache, M.O. Liedke, D. Markó, S. Wintz, K. Lenz, S. Facsko, I. Mönch, J. McCord, New J. Phys. in press.
[3] M. Körner, K. Lenz, M.O. Liedke, T. Strache, A. Mücklich, S. Facsko, J. Fassbender, Phys. Rev. B, submitted.