Magnetic and Structural Studies on Au/3d-metal Multilayered Films with Artificial Superstructures.

Abstract

ABSTRACTAu/3d-metal(Fe, Co, and Ni) artificial multilayered films were prepared by alternate deposition technique in ultrahigh vacuum. Well defined superstructures were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Xray diffraction method. All 3d-metals were epitaxially grown on (111) oriented Au buffer layers. A large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was observed in Au/Co multilayered films. When Co layer thickness was 4.7 Å, the effective perpendicular anisotropy energy Ku was 9.6x106 erg/cm3. The surface (interface) anisotropy energy constants, Ks, of Au/Co and Au/Fe multilayered films were estimated to be 0.42 erg/cm2 and 0.51 erg/cm2, respectively. The volume contribution, Kv, was interpreted from the observed value of saturation magnetization and the bulk values of magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy constants K1 and K2.