There is currently great interest in magnetic multilayer (ML) thin films (see e.g.), because they display some interesting magnetic properties. Co/Pd and Co/Au ML systems exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy below certain Co layer thicknesses, which makes them candidates for applications in the field of magneto-optical recording. It has been found that the magnetic anisotropy of a particular system strongly depends on the preparation method (vapour deposition, sputtering, ion beam sputtering) as well as on the substrate, underlayer and deposition temperature. In order to get a better understanding of the correlation between microstructure and properties a thorough cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) study of vapour deposited Co/Pd and Co/Au (111) MLs was undertaken (for more detailed results see ref.).The Co/Pd films (with fixed Pd thickness of 2.2 nm) were deposited on mica substrates at substrate temperatures Ts of 20°C and 200°C, after prior deposition of a 100 nm Pd underlayer at 450°C.
Determination of spin torque efficiencies in heterostructures with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy