Range dependence of interlayer exchange coupling

Abstract

We have considered the effects of non magnetic impurities and interface roughness on the interlayer coupling between magnetic layers in metallic multilayers. The two types of defects alter the interlayer coupling in quite different ways. Elastic electron scattering by impurities in the non magnetic spacer layers between magnetic layers produces an exponential decay of the coupling with a characteristic decay length that is considerably longer than the ``global'' transport mean free path for the spacer layer with its surrounding interfaces. Interfacial roughness leads to an attenuation of the coupling that is related to the width of the roughness in relation to the Fermi wavelength; roughness does not alter the range dependence of the coupling. For certain types of electrical transport, e.g., for current perpendicular to the plane of the layers, the scattering from interface roughness and impurities in the spacer layers contribute on an equal footing to the exponential decay of the electron propagators, i.e., global mean free path. We show that interface roughness and impurities in the spacer layer affect the interlayer coupling differently.