Magnetic Properties of Transition Metal Superlattices

The magnetic coupling between Fe layers separated by spacer layers consisting of up to two atomic planes of 3d transition metal elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) has been studied systematically by using two complimentary theories based on cluster and band structure methods. The Fe layers are found to be ferromagnetically coupled in all cases except for Cr where this coupling alternates from ferro- to anti-ferromagnetic depending on whether the spacer layers are odd or even. Furthermore the spacer layers involving Sc, Ti and V are anti-ferromagnetically coupled to Fe while Co and Ni layers are coupled ferromagnetically.