Interface effect on the magnetic properties of Ni-Ge bilayer films

Magnetic and magneto-optical properties of the Ni-Ge bilayer films are studied. The unusual temperature behavior of the magnetization curves is revealed: the hysteresis loops at room temperature have a near-rectangular shape; when the films are cooled down to 4.2 K, the coercive force increases by more than an order of magnitude and the asymmetry and displacement of the loop along the field axis are observed. These effects are stronger in thinner Ni layers. The observed features are attributed to the effect of the interlayer between the Ni and Ge layers, which has a complex magnetic structure.