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The addition of rare-earth elements to magnetic transition metals can
increase substantially the magnetic anisotropy and produce magnetically
very hard materials. An example is the Co-Sm system. It has recently
been shown that Sm forms ordered structures on the Co(0001) surface
with interesting magnetic properties, particularly an increase
in the coercivity of the Co layers. It is therefore important to
determine the influence of the atomic structure in the magnetic properties.
Using low-energy-electron microscopy (LEEM) and diffraction (LEED),
we have studied the first stages of the growth of Sm on epitaxial Co/W(110)
films. As a first step, we have characterized the atomic structure and
morphology of Co films deposited both at room and at elevated temperatures,
where layer-by-layer growth is observed. We have measured the diffraction
intensities on selected areas of the ordered Sm/Co phases aiming at their
crystallographic determination and its relation with the magnetism. |