Fe(001) on vicinal Au(001): correlation of topography and magnetic surface anisotropy

For an epitaxial. vicinal Surface of a magnetic film, the twofold step-induced symmetry about the film normal in the atomic coordination implies a corresponding twofold magnetic surface anisotropy. We report a strong correlation between the in-plane structural anisotropy in the height-height correlation function and the step-induced magnetic anisotropy of epitaxial Fe(001) films deposited on Au surfaces vicinal to the (001) plane, tilted about the in-plane [100](Au) or [110](Au) axis. Surface topography and crystallography are analysed using scanning tunnelling microscopy and low energy electron diffraction. The 5 x 20 reconstruction of Au is found to be affected by the tilt axis orientation and the vicinal angle. The orientation of the magnetic easy axis is found to be closely related to the anisotropic surface topography.