  We present a laterally resolved X-ray magnetic dichroism study of the
magnetic proximity effect in a highly ordered oxide system, i.e. NiO films on
Fe3O4(110). We found that the magnetic interface shows an ultrasharp
electronic, magnetic and structural transition from the ferrimagnet to the
antiferromagnet. The monolayer which forms the interface reconstructs to
NiFe2O4 and exhibits an enhanced Fe and Ni orbital moment, possibly caused by
bonding anisotropy or electronic interaction between Fe and Ni cations. The
absence of spin-flop coupling for this crystallographic orientation can be
explained by a structurally uncompensated interface and additional
magnetoelastic effects.
