Magnetic coupling of interfaces: A surface-Green’s-function approach

An ab initio theory of interface-interface interactions in metallic magnetic multilayers is discussed based on a surface-Green's-function formalism that reflects the underlying two-dimensional translational symmetry. Due to the short-range character of the interlayer interactions in the tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital method, the problem can be conveniently formulated in real space. In particular, a model consisting of two magnetic Co(001) slabs of varying thickness in a nonmagnetic fcc Cu spacer is considered, for which a pronounced suppression of the long-period oscillations was found with increasing thickness of the magnetic slabs.