Strong interlayer coupling in CoO/NiO antiferromagnetic superlattices

Abstract
A strong interlayer-exchange interaction is observed in short-repeat-distance CoO/NiO superlattices. This was investigated by measuring the exchange-anisotropy properties of superlattice CoO/NiO/Ni81 Fe19 exchange couples and by examining NiO/CoO superlattices with neutron diffraction. Short-repeat-distance superlattices show a single ordering temperature which depends only on the [CoO]:[NiO] ratio. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the monoxide layers is strongly influenced by the interlayer coupling.