2015/08/26 by Anh D. Vu, Johann Coraux, Vu, A. D. +9
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Graphene research and applications #Magnetic properties of thin films #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall) #Quantum and electron transport phenomena
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1508.06548
openalex publication_date 2015/08/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Magnetic domain structure and spin-dependent reflectivity measurements on cobalt thin films intercalated at the graphene / Ir(111) interface are investigated using spin-polarised low-energy electron microscopy. We find that graphene-covered cobalt films have surprising magnetic properties. Vectorial imaging of magnetic domains reveals an unusually gradual thickness-dependent spin reorientation transition, in which magnetisation rotates from out-of-the-film plane to the in-plane direction by less than 10^∘ per cobalt monolayer. During this transition, cobalt films have a meandering spin texture, characterised by a complex, three-dimensional, wavy magnetisation pattern. In addition, spectroscopy measurements indicate that the electronic band structure of the unoccupied states is essentially spin-independent already a few electron-Volts above the vacuum level. These properties strikingly differ from those of pristine cobalt films and could open new prospects in surface magnetism.