Magnetic anisotropy of metal/Co/metal and metal/Co/insulator sandwiches

Journal Article · Mon Nov 14 23:00:00 EST 1994 · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.358478· OSTI ID:6663490

Wiedmann, M H; Engel, B N; Falco, C M ^[1]

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1. Physics Department and Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (United States)

[ital In] [ital situ] polar Kerr-effect measurements have been used to study the magnetic anisotropy of MBE-grown Au(111)/Co/X and Pd(111)/Co/X sandwiches, where X is the nonmagnetic metal Ag, Au, Cu, and Pd or the insulator MgO. For the metals it was recently found that the magnitude of the Co/X perpendicular interface anisotropy is strongly peaked at [similar to]1 atomic layer (1.5--2.5 A) coverage. To investigate structural influences on the anisotropy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) have been used to measure changes resulting from overlayer coverage. Analysis of digitized RHEED images captured every [similar to]1 A during metal overlayer coverage shows no abrupt change of the in-plane lattice constant. The out-of-plane lattice spacing has also been investigated as a function of nonmagnetic metal coverage by measuring LEED [ital I]-[ital V] curves along the (0,0) rod. In the case of Cu, where the LEED behavior is nearly kinematic, no evidence was seen of any abrupt structural changes at [similar to]1 atomic layer coverage. These results suggest the observed peak in magnetic anisotropy is not structural in origin. To further study this phenomenon, the influence of an insulating overlayer, MgO, on the perpendicular magnetic properties has been measured.

• OSTI ID: 6663490
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States) Vol. 76:10; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COBALT
COHERENT SCATTERING
COPPER
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ELEMENTS
GOLD
INTERFACES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALLADIUM
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATINUM METALS
SCATTERING
SILVER
TRANSITION ELEMENTS