Element-specific in-plane magnetic anisotropy in Co0.9Fe0.1 films

Abstract

Utilizing X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectra we have investigated in-plane element-specific magnetic anisotropy in Co0.9Fe0.1 films. Apart from known field-induced easy axis during film growth, a soft axis perpendicular to it was observed, and the hard axis is 66°away from the easy axis. Thus in-plane bi-axisial anisotropy is realized. For different contents of Co and Fe, the variation trends of magnetic moment per hole in different magnetization directions are similar, and the values of magnetic moment of Fe is about 87% that of Co, which suggested that there exists strong ferromagnetic coupling between Fe and Co atoms.