Abstract
The structure, magnetic moment and the exchange coupling of epitaxial permalloy(111)//Ru(0001)//permalloy(111) trilayer were studied by X-ray diffraction and magnetic circular dichroism. An oscillatory anti-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic coupling as functions of the thickness of Ru layers was verified with an oscillatory period of about 1nm. An enhancement of orbital moment of Fe in the permalloy layer was observed at the Ru thickness coincident with the anti-ferromagnetic coupling of the permalloy layers. The orbital/spin moment ratio is about 0.4 at Ru thickness of 0.7nm. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights rserved.