Electronic and magnetic structures of Fe/Cr/Fe sandwiches and Fe/Cr superlattices

Abstract

Realistic tight-binding band calculations have been performed for (Fe${)}_3$/(Cr${)}_{\mathit{m}}$/(Fe${)}_3$ sandwiches and for (Fe${)}_3$/(Cr${)}_{\mathit{m}}$ superlattices by varying the number of Cr layers, m=3, 4, and 5. The distributions of local magnetic moments on Fe and Cr layers have been determined self-consistently. Similarities and differences between the calculated moment distributions in the sandwiches and the superlattices are discussed. The calculated Cr-thickness dependence of the interlayer exchange interactions in Fe/Cr superlattices is also reported. Our calculations account for the recently observed antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe layers across Cr layers in the Fe/Cr multilayers.