The relation between structure of interdiffused interfacial regions in Fe/Si multilayers and their optical and magneto-optical properties has been investigated by magneto-optical and optical spectroscopies. The experimental spectra were compared with ...
The relation between structure of interdiffused interfacial regions in Fe/Si multilayers and their optical and magneto-optical properties has been investigated by magneto-optical and optical spectroscopies. The experimental spectra were compared with the computer-simulated ones assuming various stoichiometries of a nonmagnetic spacer between the Fe layers. It was shown that neither FeSi_(2) nor FeSi can be considered as the spacer separating the antiferromagnetically coupled Fe layers. A reasonable agreement between experimental and simulated equatorial-Kerr-effect spectra was obtained by using the fitted optical parameters of the spacer. In contrast to FeSi_(2) or FeSi the fitted optical properties of the spacer show a typical metallic behavior. In order to determine the exact chemical composition of the spacer the first-principle calculations for various silicides and the additional experiments are in progress.