Finite size scaling in the thin film limit

The thickness dependent spin-polarized electronic structure of strained thin and ultrathin films of Gd is characterized by a distinct change in the critical exponent λ in the formalism of finite size scaling. The reduced critical exponent in the ultrathin films can be correlated to the increased dominance of the surface magnetic structure and the increasing paramagnetic-like behavior of the bulk. ©1998 American Institute of Physics