A theory of oscillations in the exchange coupling between two transition-metal ferromagnets separated by a nonmagnetic transition-metal spacer is developed for a one-band model. A close analogy between oscillations in the exchange and de Haas–van Alphen oscillations is established and exploited to show that the period, asymptotic decay, and temperature dependence of the oscillations are determined by properties of the Fermi surface in the spacer layer. The theory describes many features of the oscillations in the exchange coupling observed recently in Co/Ru, Co/Cr, and Fe/Cr superlattices.

• Received 29 November 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.67.493