Abstract
The chemical and magnetic structures of Ho/Pr superlattices have been studied by a combination of X-ray and neutron scattering techniques. While the Ho blocks are HCP, the Pr blocks retain their bulk-like DHCP structure, but with a stacking of the hexagonal atomic planes that is not coherent between successive blocks. Below a Neel temperature of approximately 110 K, the Ho magnetic moments order into a basal plane spiral with a magnetic coherence length that is limited to the width of a single Ho block, even for a sample comprising of only six atomic planes of Pr. These observations are discussed in terms of the differing band structures of the two elements.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal of Physics Condensed Matter |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 31 |
Pages (from-to) | L417-L423 |
ISSN | 0953-8984 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1995 |