Influence of the FM/AFM interface morphology on the exchange coupling in epitaxial Co(001)/fct-Mn(001)

The Co thickness dependence of the exchange interaction between ferromagnetic (FM) fct-Co(001) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) fct-Mn(001) thin layers, epitaxially grown on Cu(001) single crystals, was studied. In the pseudomorphic Co growth regime, oscillations of the coercivity (HC) and the exchange bias (HE) with a Co at. monolayer period are obsd. These oscillations are explained by a biquadratic exchange interaction component at the FM/AFM interface which, in this thickness range, is modulated by the layer-by-layer growth mode of Co on Cu(001). [on SciFinder (R)