Magnetocrystalline and magnetoelastic anisotropy in epitaxial Co/Pd superlattices

Journal Article · Fri Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.350113· OSTI ID:5123097

Engel, B N; England, C D; Van Leeuwen, R A; Wiedmann, M H; Falco, C M ^[1]

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1. Arizona Univ., Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Physics Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (USA)

We have used molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) to grow Co/Pd superlattices along the three high-symmetry crystal axes: (001), (110), and (111). Identical conditions were maintained for all depositions, and a series of samples of fixed Pd thickness ({ital t}{sub Pd} = 10 {plus minus} 1 A) and varying Co thickness (2 {ital A} {le} {ital t}{sub Co} {le} 22 A) were prepared for each orientation. A variety of {ital in} {ital situ} and {ital ex} {ital situ} characterization studies were made, which confirm these superlattices are single crystalline for all growth directions. The dependence of the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy on the Co thickness in these superlattices showed significant systematic differences for each of the three crystal orientations. These variations result entirely from differences in the volume contribution to the anisotropy. Estimates of the magnetocrystalline and magnetoelastic contributions for the (111) and (001) samples are in good agreement with the measured anisotropy energies of these oriented superlattices.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER45297
• OSTI ID: 5123097
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Vol. 70:10; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SUPERLATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
COBALT
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PALLADIUM
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
ELEMENTS
EPITAXY
METALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATINUM METALS
SCATTERING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
360603* - Materials- Properties