Abstract
In situ polar and longitudinal Kerr-effect measurements have been used in conjunction with low-energy electron diffraction and Auger characterizations to study the magnetic properties of Fe(111)/Ru(0001). Ru(0001) provides the opportunity to grow fcc Fe with a dilated lattice spacing that is expected to be ferromagnetic. Ferromagnetism is detected, but only for films thicker than ∼2 monolayers. The easy axis of magnetization is perpendicular for films monolayers thick and becomes in plane for thicker films. The dead layers at the interface are attributed to d-band hybridization between the Fe and Ru.