Distribution of magnetic moments in Co/Pt and Co/Pt/Ir/Pt multilayers detected by magnetic x-ray absorption

Measurements of the spin-dependent absorption have been performed at the L2,3 edges in Pt and Ir in the multilayered structures 4 Å Co+χ Å Pt (χ = 9, 16, 23, 30, 40) and 4 Å Co+11 Å Pt+8 Å Ir+11 Å Pt. The samples were prepared by sputtering and evaporating, respectively, and show a large perpendicular anisotropy. The measured circular magnetic X-ray dichroism (CMXD) profiles indicate a significant spin polarization of the Pt and the Ir interlayer. The results show that the moments of the Pt interlayers as well as of the innermost Ir layers couple ferromagnetically to the Co layers. The experimental findings are compared with the magnetic moment distribution for sharp interfaces obtained from linear muffin tin orbital (LMTO) band structure calculations. © 1993.