Observation of the Quantum Well Interference in Magnetic Nanostructures by Photoemission

Abstract

The Cu/Co/Ni/Co(100) system was investigated by photoemission to study the interference between the Cu quantum well and the Ni layer. By varying their separation, we found that the density of states of the Cu quantum well states were biperiodically modulated. This result provides clear evidence for the quantum interference between two quantum wells in magnetic nanostructures. The biperiodicity was identified to correspond to the two Fermi vectors of the Co minority energy bands.