Magnetic Properties of Ultrathin Fe/Ag/Fe Sandwich on Pt(111)

The magnetic properties of ultrathin Fe films deposited on 1.4 ML Ag/1.5 ML Fe/Pt(111) were investigated in this research. The change of the easy axis of magnetization shows that a strong interaction between the two Fe layers is superior to the effects of the double Fe/Ag interfaces. During the annealing treatment, we found that an incomplete atomic exchange between the Ag interlayer and the Fe capping layer might exist. Some Ag atoms start being desorbed during the atomic exchange process. The thickness of the Fe capping layer does not affect the formation of Fe-Pt alloy for the Fe/Ag/Fe/Pt(111) system. By comparing the sandwich system with the ultrathin Fe/Pt(111) system, we found that the Fe layers could be stabilized by an Ag interlayer from the formation of Fe-Pt alloy.