Evidence for a Directd-dHybridization Mechanism for the Interlayer Exchange Coupling in Epitaxial Co/Mn Multilayers

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Abstract
The interlayer exchange coupling between successive Co layers and the magnetic ordering of the Mn spacer layers are investigated as a function of temperature in epitaxial Co/Mn multilayers. The interlayer coupling strength is shown to decrease steeply with increasing temperature and to vanish at the Néel temperature of the antiferromagnetically ordered Mn spacer. This result indicates that the interlayer coupling originates from a direct d-d exchange interaction at the Co-Mn interfaces and propagates through the magnetic ordering of the Mn layers via short range exchange interactions.