Interfacial atomic diffusion in AF/Fe/Cu/Fe (AF = Fe50Mn50 and Ir50Mn50) multilayer systems

Spin valve like AF/Fe/Cu/Fe (AF = Fe50Mn50 and Ir50Mn50) multilayer systems have been prepared by molecular beam epitaxy. Thin tracer layers enriched in the 57Fe isotope were artificially grown at the AF/Fe and Fe/Cu interfaces and the interfacial atomic diffusion was observed via 57Fe conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results show that the atomic interdiffusion at all involved interfaces is lower in the IrMn based structures as compared to the FeMn based ones.