Cap layer influence on the spin reorientation transition in Au/Co/Au

Abstract

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism vector magnetometry provides evidence that the spin reorientation transition in epitaxially grown Au/Co/Au films depends on the thickness of the Au capping layer. Whereas a 1.9-nm-thick Co film with a 2-nm Au cap exhibits the expected pure in-plane orientation of the magnetization in the remanent state at room temperature, the same film with thinner Au cap shows a significant out-of-plane component. These findings are linked with the observation of a cap-induced enhancement of the orbital moment of about $0.05{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{\mathrm{B}}$ per Co atom.