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Influence of buffer layers on the texture and magnetic properties of Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy
Author(s) -
Kanak J.,
Czapkiewicz M.,
Stobiecki T.,
Kachel M.,
Sveklo I.,
Maziewski A.,
van Dijken S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.200777104
Subject(s) - magnetization , materials science , nucleation , texture (cosmology) , surface finish , layer (electronics) , magnetic anisotropy , surface roughness , buffer (optical fiber) , anisotropy , condensed matter physics , analytical chemistry (journal) , crystallography , chemistry , nanotechnology , optics , composite material , magnetic field , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , chromatography , artificial intelligence , computer science , image (mathematics) , telecommunications
A study on the buffer layer dependence of film texture, surface roughness, and magnetization reversal mechanism in Co/Pt multilayers is presented. Four different buffers are used: (A) 10 nm Cu, (B) 5 nm Ta/10 nm Cu, (C) 5 nm Ta/10 nm Cu/5 nm Ta, and (D) 5 nm Ta/10 nm Cu/5 nm Ta/10 nm Cu. The growth of [2 nm Pt/0.5 nm Co] 5 /2 nm Pt on top of these buffer layers results in a large variation of film textures and surface morphologies. Samples with a Cu buffer (A) exhibit a low degree of film texture and are relatively rough. MOKE and MFM measurements on these films reveal that the magnetization reverses by the nucleation of numerous small domains due to a large dispersion of the activation energy barrier. Buffer layer structures where the first layer consists of Ta, on the other hand, result in (111)‐textured Co/Pt multilayers with a more regular surface morphology. In these samples, magnetization reversal proceeds by fast domain wall movement. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)