Influence of surface atomic steps on in-plane magnetic anisotropy of ultrathin Fe films on W(001)

Abstract
Previous magneto-optic Kerr effect studies of ultrathin epitaxial Fe films grown on stepped W(001) surfaces yielded evidence of in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with magnetization perpendicular to the steps. We report spin-polarized secondary electron emission spectroscopy studies of the same system that confirms this novel micromagnetic phenomena, and provides a more detailed characterization of the zero-field in-plane spin configuration as a function of initial applied field direction.