The formation of sharp NiO(1 0 0)-cobalt interfaces

An atomically sharp interface between an antiferromagnetic oxide and a ferromagnetic metal may be obtained by the deposition of an epitaxial oxide buffer nanolayer in between. The buffer layer consists of the oxide of the ferromagnetic metal. The concept has been demonstrated on the NiO(1 0 0)-Co system, where the inclusion of a 1-2 ML CoO(1 0 0) interlayer inhibits the interfacial redox reaction which takes place between NiO and Co metal in the absence of the buffer layer.