Element specific imaging of magnetic domains in multicomponent thin film systems

We employ a new form of photoemission microscopy to image magnetic domains with both element specificity and surface sensitivity. Its contrast mechanisms are based on magneto-dichroic effects in photo-induced Auger electron emission. The method is especially beneficial to the investigation of magnetic domains in multicomponent thin film structures. We demonstrate the capabilities of this technique for the case of epitaxial Cr/Fe(100) thin film systems. The magnetic domain structures of a monatomic Cr layer on Fe, a Cr wedge on Fe, and a wedge shaped Fe/Cr/Fe sandwich structure are investigated for both elements. An antiferromagnetic alignment of the Cr monolayer to the Fe substrate is directly revealed in the images. Exploiting the angular dependence of the magnetic dichroism, regions of bilinear and biquadratic exchange coupling in the Fe/Cr/Fe sandwich are unequivocally identified