Theory of the Magnetization Reversal of Ultrathin Fe Films on a Cr Substrate

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Abstract
A micromagnetic theory based on the thickness-averaged Landau-Lifshitz equation is proposed to describe the magnetization behavior of ultrathin Fe films on Cr. The calculations predict the appearance of an effective uniaxial anisotropy of Fe below the Cr spin-flip transition temperature when its magnetic state is characterized by a longitudinal spin density wave. This anisotropy results in a perpendicular coupling of Fe and Cr spins, suggesting the modification of the coercive behavior. The calculations provide a possible explanation for recently discovered anomalous magnetic properties of Fe films grown on Cr(100).