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Abstract:
Heusler compounds are promising candidates for future spintronics device
applications. The electronic and magnetic properties Of Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al,
an electron-doped derivative Of Co2CrAl, are investigated using
circularly polarized synchrotron radiation and photoemission electron
microscopy (PEEM). Element specific imaging reveals needle shaped Cr
rich phases in a homogeneous bulk of the Heusler compound. The
ferromagnetic domain structure is investigated on an element-resolved
basis using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) contrast in PEEM.
The structure is characterized by micrometre-size domains with a
superimposed fine ripple structure; the lateral resolution in these
images is about 100 nm. The domains look identical for Co and Fe giving
evidence of a ferromagnetic coupling of these elements. No ferromagnetic
contrast is observed at the Cr line. Magnetic spectroscopy exploiting
XMCD reveals that the lack of magnetic moment, detected in a SQUID
magnetometer, is mainly due to the moment of the Cr atom.