Magnetic imaging of ion-irradiation patterned Co/Pt multilayers using complementary electron and photon probes

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1407301· OSTI ID:40277747

Kusinski, G J; Krishnan, K M; Denbeaux, G; Thomas, G; Terris, B D; Weller, D

The three-dimensional magnetic structure and reversal mechanism of patterned Co/Pt multilayers, were imaged using complementary Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (in-plane component) and magnetic transmission x-ray microscopy (perpendicular magnetization). The Co/Pt films with perpendicular anisotropy were patterned by ion irradiation through a stencil mask to produce in-plane magnetization in the irradiated regions. The boundaries of the patterns, defined by the transition from out-of-plane to in-plane magnetization, were found to be determined by the stencil mask. The nucleation fields were substantially reduced to 50 Oe for the in-plane regions and 1 kOe for the perpendicular regions, comparing to 4.5 kOe for the as-grown film. The perpendicular reversals were found to always originate at the pattern boundaries.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 40277747
• Report Number(s): LBNL-46717
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 79; ISSN 0003-6951
• Publisher: The American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ANISOTROPY
ELECTRONS
IRRADIATION
MAGNETIZATION
MICROSCOPY
NUCLEATION
PHOTONS
PROBES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY