Spin-reorientation transition in magnetic alloy films Co_xNi_{1 - x}/Cu(100)

With better than 1% control of alloy composition, binary alloy films Co_xNi_{1 - x}/Cu(100) with x ≤ 10% were prepared for the study of the spin-reorientation transition at variations of composition, thickness, and temperature. Only the films with a Co concentration less than 10% reveal the spin-reorientation with the film thickness. The critical thickness for the spin-reorientation transition was shifted drastically from 7.5 to 17.5 monolayers for a Co concentration variation from 0% to 8%. These findings indicate a strong influence of the composition on the magnetoelastic anisotropy. A kind of temperature-driven spin-reorientation from in-plane to perpendicular with increasing temperature was also found.