Electronic states in magnetic quantum wells

Abstract

We have searched for the electronic states that mediate oscillatory magnetic coupling in superlattices, and have found strong evidence that these are quantum well states, which are created by quantizing the momentum of s,p-band states perpendicular to the interfaces. The quantum well picture also explains how quantum well states in noble metals become spin-polarized, due to a spin-dependent electron reflectivity at the interface with the ferromagnet. The resulting implications for magnetoresistance are discussed.