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Anomalous Perpendicular Anisotropy in Ultra-Thin Co Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2012

Michael H. Wiedmann
Affiliation:
Physics Department and Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
Brad N. Engel
Affiliation:
Physics Department and Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
Robert A. Van Leeuwen
Affiliation:
Physics Department and Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
Ko Mibu
Affiliation:
Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611, Japan.
Teruya Shinjo
Affiliation:
Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611, Japan.
Charles M. Falco
Affiliation:
Physics Department and Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
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Abstract

We have used in situ polar Kerr effect measurements to study the magnetic coercivity and anisotropy of MBE-grown Pd (111) /Co/X and Au (111) /Co/X trilayers, where χ is the nonmagnetic noble or transition metal overlayer Ag, Cu or Pd. Polar hysteresis curves were Measured in situ for systematically varied Co and overlayer thicknesses 2 Å ≤ tco ≤ 20 Å and 0 Å ≤ tx ≤ 50 Å. We find the coercivity and total anisotropy display a strongly peaked perpendicular contribution at ∼1 atomic layer (2 Å) non-Magnetic Metal coverage. For Cu, where the effect is strongest, the total anisotropy energy rapidly decreases by a factor of 3 from its peak value after a total coverage of ∼2 atomic layers (4 A) of Cu.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

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References

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