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Pair Ordering Anisotropy In Amorphous Tb-Fe Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

T.C. Hufnagel ,
S. Brennan  and
B.M. Clemens
T.C. Hufnagel
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305- 2205
S. Brennan
Affiliation:
Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Stanford, CA 94309-0210
B.M. Clemens
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305- 2205
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Abstract

We have studied the structural origins of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in amorphous Tb-Fe thin films by employing high energy x-ray scattering. The as-deposited films show a clear structural anisotropy, with a preference for Fe-Tb near-neighbors to align in the out-of-plane direction. Upon annealing, the magnetic anisotropy energy drops significantly, and we see a corresponding reduction in the structural anisotropy. The radial distribution functions indicate that the number of Fe-Tb near-neighbors increases in the in-plane direction, but does not change in the out-of-plane direction. Therefore, the distribution of Fe-Tb near-neighbors becomes more uniform upon annealing. We conclude that the observed reduction in perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy is a result of this change in structure.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 384: Symposium L – Magnetic Ultrathin films, Multilayers and Surfaces , 1995 , 239
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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References

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