Regensburg 2010 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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MA: Fachverband Magnetismus

MA 18: Magnetic Thin Films II

MA 18.13: Vortrag

Mittwoch, 24. März 2010, 18:30–18:45, H3

Effect of the iron overlayer thickness on the first and second order anisotropy constants of a (Co/Pt)₈ multilayer film — •Matthias Hille, Daniel Stickler, André Kobs, Robert Frömter, and Hans Peter Oepen — Institut für Angewandte Physik, Universität Hamburg

We studied the influence of Fe overlayers on the anisotropy constants K₁ and K₂ of a Co/Pt multilayer. Fe is deposited on a stack that consists of a 2 nm Pt covered (Co_0.7nm/Pt_2nm)₈ multilayer, grown on a Pt seed layer (5 nm). From investigations of the magnetic microstructure via x-ray holography it is known that the iron causes a domain size reduction indicating changes of the anisotropy constants [1].
We used the magneto-optical Kerr effect to study the magnetization behavior. From the magnetization curves the anisotropy constants are determined. The uncoated multilayer has an out-of plane easy axis. Increasing the Fe thickness up to 4 nm reduces K₁ while K₂ remains nearly constant. Between 2 and 3 nm Fe thickness the magnetization changes from out-of-plane to a canted magnetization orientation. Additional Fe up to a thickness of 9 nm leads to a decrease of K₂ while K₁ exhibits only marginal changes and the magnetization remains canted. The influence of the Pt cap layer thickness which separates Fe from the Co/Pt multilayer is discussed.

[1] Stickler et al. - submitted to APL (2009)