Chemical and magnetization profile study of Ce in [CeLaCe/Fe] and [LaCeLa/Fe] multilayers by resonant X-ray reflectivity

Abstract

The distribution of the induced 5d magnetic moments across the Ce layers in CeLaCe/Fe and LaCeLa/Fe multilayers has been investigated by resonant X-ray magnetic reflectivity. The quantitative analysis of the energy dependence of the asymmetry ratios measured on top of several multilayer Bragg peaks required the determination of the composition profile across the period of the multilayer. In order to separate out the structural parameters of the Ce and La layers, resonant X-ray reflectivity measurements were carried out at the La and Ce L-edges as well as at the Fe K-edge. The induced Ce 5d magnetic profile which is derived from the XRMS spectra is found to oscillate in both samples, with however, a different depth dependence probably related to the influence of the different interfaces. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.