Growth and magnetic properties of ultrathin Co films on Pd(111) investigated by ultrahigh vacuum in situ surface magneto-optical Kerr effect and scanning tunneling microscope
Growth and magnetic properties of Co ultrathin films on Pd(111) surface are studied with a ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and in situ surface magneto-optical Kerr effect measurement as a function of Co thickness. STM images of Co-covered surface reveal that the growth proceeds as a good layer-by-layer epitaxy up to a thickness of 2 ML. Image at a coverage of 1 ML shows almost complete monolayer coverage instead of disconnected islands. At higher coverages, the surface shows uniformly distributed three-dimensional (3D) clusters of {similar_to}5 nm size manifesting 3D-like growth mode. Co films begin to show ferromagnetism at a coverage of 1.5 ML with a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which persists up to 5 ML. For the Co films thicker than 5 ML, reorientation transition from perpendicular to in-plane magnetic anisotropy is observed to occur over a thickness range of {similar_to}1.5 ML. Interestingly, in this thickness range, Pd overlayer is found to drastically change the magnetic behavior. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 40203985
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 89; ISSN 0021-8979
- Publisher:
- The American Physical Society
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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