Magnetic properties of epitaxial (110) multilayer films of DyFe2 and YFe2

Laves phase DyFe2/YFe2 multilayers have been grown epitaxially on a YFe2 seed layer, with a (110) growth direction. Magnetic measurements taken in applied fields of up to 12 T, and from 5 K to room temperature, show that short period multilayers (similar to 100 Angstrom) behave, collectively, as a single magnetic entity. As a result, it is possible to engineer magnetic compensation points, in a digital manner, by adjusting the thicknesses of the alternate DyFe2 and YFe2 layers. Nevertheless, the magnetic response of the DyFe2/YFe2 structure and that of the YFe2 seed layer are not completely independent of one another. Because of a mismatch in the Fe-Fe magnetic exchange at the multilayer/seed interface, a 180 degrees magnetic soliton-like domain ("magnetic twister") is set up in the top of the YFe2 seed layer. A semiquantitative model describing the properties of the magnetic twister is presented and discussed. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)88808-8].