On the spin reorientation transition in ultra-thin Ni/Cu(001) films

The spin reorientation transition of the magnetization of ferromagnetic films is studied on a microscopic basis within a Heisenberg spin model. Using a modified mean field formulation it is possible to calculate properties of magnetic thin films with non-integer thicknesses. This is especially important for the spin reorientation transition in Ni/Cu(0 0 1), as the magnetic properties are sensitive functions of the film thickness. Detailed phase diagrams in the thickness-temperature plane are calculated using experimental parameters and are compared with experimental measurements by Baberschke and Farle (J. Appl. Phys. 81 (1997) 5038). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.