Controlling magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial FePt(001) films

Abstract

Epitaxial equiatomic Fe(50)Pt(50) thin films with a variable order parameter ranging from 0 to 0.9 and Fe(100-x)Pt(x) thin films with x ranging from 33 to 50 were deposited on MgO (001) substrates by dc sputtering. A seed layer consisting of nonmagnetic Cr (4 nm)/Pt (12 nm) was used to promote the crystallinity of the magnetic films. The crystal structure and magnetic properties were gauged using x-ray diffraction and magnetometry. The magnetic anisotropy can be controlled by changing the order parameter. For Fe(100-x)Pt(x) films, the increase in Fe composition leads to an increase in coercivity in the hard axis loop and causes a loss of perpendicular anisotropy.

Description
Keywords
coercive force, crystal structure, iron alloys, magnetic epitaxial layers, metallic epitaxial layers, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, platinum alloys, sputter deposition, X-ray diffraction, RECORDING MEDIA, THIN-FILMS, ALLOY, Materials Science, Coatings & Films, Physics, Applied, Materials Science, Physics
Citation
Lu, Z., Walock, M., LeClair, P., Butler, W., Mankey, G. (2009): Controlling Magnetic Anisotropy in Epitaxial FePt(001) Films. Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, 27(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3098497