Magnetic Correlations in Some FeNi/Cu(100) Multilayers

We present a first-principles electronic structure based study of magnetic correlations in the paramagnetic phase of some Fe and Ni multilayers on Cu(100) substrates. We have used the screened Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker method to calculate the electronic structure within the spin-density functional theory and used the disordered local moments model to describe the paramagnetic phase above the Curie temperature. We find that in the Ni/Cu(100) films, there are no local moments formation for any thickness. For the multilayers of Fe and Ni, we find that there is some, although very small, local moment formation in the interior of the Ni film if the Ni layer is more than 6 monolayers thick. However, the Ni layers facilitate the magnetic correlation between the Fe layers. The Curie temperatures of the multilayers also depend upon the Ni layer thickness.