The in-plane orientation of the magnetization vector M in bcc-like Fe(110) films grown on Cu(001) is determined by means of scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis. For thicknesses of 2 nm, slightly above the fcc/bcc phase transition, it is found that M is oriented along the directions of the Cu(001) substrate. Following the Pitsch orientational relationship these correspond to magnetically hard and axes of bulk iron. This finding is in strong contrast to the behavior reported for thicker films (above 3 nm) of bcc Fe/Cu(001), where the directions of the substrate are preferred. The role of strain in the iron film is discussed, inferring that the presence of a shear strain is mandatory to explain the spin reorientation via the magnetoelastic contribution to the magnetic anisotropy energy.

This work has been supported by Spanish MICINN (Grants No. MAT2009-10040 and No. MAT2012-31309) and Gobierno de Aragón (Grants No. E81) and Fondo Social Europeo, as well as by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within SFB 668. E.C.C. acknowledges the financial support from Ministerio de Educación, through program Campus de Excelencia Internacional Iberus.

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