Distribution of magnetic moments and hyperfine fields for Fe/Cr multilayers with different interface roughness

Distribution of d-electron magnetic moments has been calculated within the Periodic Anderson Model (PAM) for Fe/Cr superlattices with various interface roughness. Special random algorithms were developed for the modelling of stepped interfaces with different average size of the steps as well as for the modelling of interface alloying. Self-consistent calculation of magnetic moment distribution for alloyed interfaces show strong correlation with hyperfine fields (hff) on Fe nuclei, measured by the Mossbauer spectroscopy. It allows one to correlate the hff with specific environment of interfacial Fe atoms and leads to the essential correction of the empirical approach for the interpretation of Mossbauer spectra. New criterion for the testing of smoothness of the interface using Mossbauer data is suggested. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.