Polarized neutron reflection study of an Er/Fe multilayer

Abstract Low angle polarized neutron scattering experiments have been performed on an Er91 A/Fe39 A multilayer. The evolution of the intensity of the first peak with the temperature and the external magnetic field shows that the average magnetizations of Fe and Er layers are in the applied field direction. The study of the intensities of the second and the third peaks indicates that there is an interface effect: some erbium atoms remain antiferromagnetically coupled to iron at the interface.