Novel Oscillation Period of the Interlayer Exchange Coupling in Fe/Cr/Fe Due to MgO Capping.

A novel period of the interlayer exchange coupling as a function of Cr thickness is observed in epitaxial Fe/Cr/Fe (001) sandwiches capped with MgO. This additional period, equal to 3 chromium atomic layers, vanishes when the capping is Cr. A strong oscillation of the magnetic coupling is also observed as a function of the thickness of the Fe layer next to the MgO capping layer. This effect is attributed to the formation of quantum well states in this Fe layer. It is believed that this confinement modifies the reflection coefficient at the Cr/Fe interface for electrons of a particular symmetry and leads to the new coupling period which is linked to the Fermi surface topology of chromium.