Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Pd/Co and Pt/Co thin-film layered structures

P. F. Carcia

Citation: Journal of Applied Physics 63, 5066 (1988);

View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.340404
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/jap/63/10
Published by the American Institute of Physics

Articles you may be interested in

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Pd/Co thin film layered structures
Applied Physics Letters 47, 178 (1985); 10.1063/1.96254

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magneto-optical Kerr effect of vapor-deposited Co/Pt-layered structures
Journal of Applied Physics 65, 4971 (1989); 10.1063/1.343189

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magnetostriction of sputtered Co/Pd and Co/Pt multilayered films
Journal of Applied Physics 66, 4909 (1989); 10.1063/1.343760

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co/Pt multilayers studied from a view point of anisotropy of magnetic
Compton profiles
Applied Physics Letters 96, 152505 (2010); 10.1063/1.3374881

Ultrathin Co/Pt and Co/Pd superlattice films for MgO-based perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions
Applied Physics Letters 97, 232508 (2010); 10.1063/1.3524230

Electric-field effects on thickness dependent magnetic anisotropy of sputtered structures

Applied Physics Letters 96, 212503 (2010); 10.1063/1.3429592
Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Pd/Co and PI/Co thinafilm layered
structures
P. F. Carcia
Central Research and Development Department, E. 1. du Pant de Nemours alld Company, Inc.,
Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware 19898
(Received 6 May 1987; accepted for publication 19 January 1988)
rf sputtered Pd/Co and Pt/Co thin-film layered structures (LS) have perpendicular magnetic
anisotropy, when the Co layer is ultrathin ( < 8 it in Pd/Co and < 14 it in PUCo). The Co
thickness (T) dependence of the anisotropy energy (Ku ~ T) and the effective anisotropy field
(HK ~ liT) in Pd/Co LS support an interfacial anisotropy as the source of the perpendicular
magnetic easy axis. In contrast, the anisotropy is independent of Co thickness for thin Co
layers in Pt/Co LS, and thus the mechanism for the perpendicular easy axis is thought to be
different. We describe magnetization, resistivity, and x-ray diffraction data that consistently
support sharper interfaces in Pd/Co LS than in Pt/Co LS.

INTRODUCTION show that its dependence on Co thickness distinguishes

Metal superlattices or layered structures, consisting of a
periodic stacking of a metal A on layers of metal B, have been
the subject of numerous recent studies. 1 With few excep-
tions, these films are polycrystalline and highly textured
along the growth direction. Because of differences in the lat-
tice spacings of the two different metals, large strains can
develop within individual layers, as each metal tries to acco-
modate the lattice mismatch at the interface. Also, since the
periodicity of these superlattices is typically small ( < 100
it), the number or density of interfaces along the film thick-
ness direction is high. If one of the metals is now magnetic,
then metal supedattices are characterized by many of the
common sources of magnetic anisotropy, i.e., crystallo-
graphic (texturing), magnetoelastic (strain), and in terfa-
cial (surface). Therefore, magnetic metal superluttices
should be a vehicle for tailoring magnetic properties, par-
ticularlyanisotropy.
Thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are
currently of great interest in vertical magnetic 2 and mag-
neto-optic recording, 3 and a number of recent publica-
tions4 - 7 have studied magnetic anisotropy in metal supedat-
tices. We sputtered Pd/Co superlattices4 with an unusual
perpendicular anisotropy, attributing it to an interfacial con-
tribution of the type first described by Neel. 8 Draaisma, den
Broeder, and deJonge5 subsequently evaporated Pd/Co su-
perIattices with even larger magnetic anisotropy than sput-
tered films. They also cited interfacial anisotropy as the
cause and found similar trends in the Pd/Fe system, al-
though the latter did not exhibit a perpendicular magnetic
easy axis. Sato6 prepared amorphous Tb/Fe superlattices
with large perpendicular anisotropy, saturation magnetiza-
tion, and coercivity. These properties were optimum when
the number of Tb-Fe pairs were nearly maximum. In NilCu
superlattices, Gyorgy et aC found an unusually large in-
plane anisotropy, which they also attributed to an interfacial
contribution.
In this paper, we describe perpendicular magnetic an-
isotropy in sputtered Pd/Co and PtiCo superlattices and
them. Emphasis is placed on relating magnetic anisotropy to
the structural character of the interface by magnetization,
resistivity. and x-ray diffraction measurements.
EXPERIMENT
Metal superlattices were made by rf sputtering simulta-
neously from two metal targets onto glass or polyimide sub-
strates on a rotatable substrate table. A metal aperture plate
with two target-size holes was placed between the substrate
table and the targets to minimize overlap of their sputtered
fluxes. The Co target was a magnetron target and the Pd and
Pt were standard IT targets. The time the substrates spent
under each target could be programmed by a computer in-
terfaced to the table drive motor. The sputtering chamber
was pumped with a cryopump to a background pressure in
the low 10- 7 _Torr range prior to sputtering. Most sputtering
experiments were in high-purity argon at -10 mTorr with
deposition rates of 1-10 A/s.
The periodicity of superlattices was determined from
the spacing between diffracted x-ray satellite peaks, as de-
scribed in a previous reference. 9 The individual metal layer
thicknesses were calculated from the atomic ratio of the met-
als, measured by electron microprobe analysis, and the bulk
metal densities. These are the metal layer thicknesses report-
ed in this paper.
The magnetic properties of films were measured with a
vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in applied fields of
up to - 9.5 kOe. In-plane electrical resistivity measurements
were made by a four-probe method, using either silver-epoxy
or indium solder contacts to thin films with a large length-to-
width ratio.
Most of the x-ray characterization was with a Philips
powderdifi'ractometer, using CuKa radiation and a graphite
monochromator. Some data were also collected using the
synchrotron light source at Brookhaven National Laborato-
ry. Details of this system are given in Ref. 10.

5066 J. Appl. Phys. 63 (10), 15 May 1988 0021-8979/88/105066-08$02.40 © 1988 American Institute of Physics 5066
 PdlCo netization when Co layers are thinner than 4.9 A, as illus-
Mlemul trated in Fig. 2. At a thickness of -1 monolayer of Co (2.6
0,01

.,.,- A), ferromagnetism at room temperature is not discernible

;/, but returns at lower temperatures, as evidenced by magnetic
'1/ M,,;3Somu!tmJ
-----; hysteresis. This film also has a perpendicular magnetic easy
-10 -5 ,.:';"~~ ~ 10 -10 -5 5 10
------ H(KOe) Ii(KOe) axis.
T'4,9A r.7.2A From x-ray diffraction, we find that both Pd/Co and
)"'91.6'\ -0,01,1. ),.85,6A Pt/Co LS are highly textured with a ( 111) orientation along
tal Ib)
the growth direction. At high angle (2e~400), the diffrac-
tion pattern is comprised of an intense central peak, whose
--------
position corresponds approximately to the average d spacing
weighted by the individual number of layers,12 and lower
I t intensity satellites on either side, characteristic of the com-
-10 -5 5 10 5 10
H(KOe) HIKO.) bined chemical and lattice spacing modulation. These pat-
r<97! T'131. terns agree weB, qualitatively, with a one-dimensional dif-
------- -0.01 )..'65A'\ X'92A fraction grating model I I that assumes fcc layers of Co and
Ie) td)
Pd or Pt, with their respective bulk (1 I I) lattice spacings
FIG. I. Magnetic hysteresis loops ofPd/Co LS at 300 K with applied mag- and atomic scattering factors. The Pd spacing is - 9% larger
netic field in the plane of IiIm (dashed curve) and perpendicular to the film
surface (solid curve). Film periodicity (A), Co thickness (D, and satura-
than fOr Co, and Pt is - 10% larger. Figure 3 compares the
tion magnetization (Ms) are indicated. experimental and calculated x-ray diffraction pattern for the
layered film with Co thickness of 4.9 A shown in a previous
figure. Four low angle and two high angle satellite peaks in
the experimental spectrum are clear evidence for a modula-
RESULTS ted periodic structure.
In earlier published work lion both Pd- and Co-rich Pdf Annealing superlattices at high temperature causes in-
Co LS, we observed that the in-plane direction becomes hard terdiffusion [3 between layers and provides an opportunity to
to magnetize as the Co layer thickness decreases. In subse- relate perpendicular magnetic anisotropy to interface sharp-
quent experiments,4 superlattices with Co thickness T < 8 A ness. Annealing may also change the strain in these LS, but
and sputtered with lower ada tom energies were shown to we did not consider its consequences in detail. The annealing
have an easy axis of magnetization perpendicular to the thin- was done in vacuum to avoid metal oxidation. The results for
film plane, The transition from perpendicular to in-plane a representative sample are shown in Fig. 4. Modest heating
easy axis varies smoothlY as the Co thickness increases. Fig- at 275°C for 2 h only changes the magnetic and structural
ure 1 illustrates this for Pd/Co LS with Co thicknesses 4.9, (x-ray) properties slightly. In particular, the coercivity in-
7.2, 9.7, and 13 A for a Pd thickness -80 A. Similar se- creases. Heating to a higher temperature of 400 ·C changes
quences were measured for Pd of ~ 50 and - 33 A. the easy magnetic axis from perpendicular to in-plane, and
The perpendicular direction is also the easy axis of mag- the magnetization increases ~ 15%. At the same time, the

PdlCo
am OOlT
M{emu) I
t'·-----=="""
~~.::;7iI..---- ~

~..;. M,=Sgemu/cm!
-----;----10 -10-- ::5-=-~~ ""
5
-4
10
H{kOe) __ --~.;.~J"'~ H(kOel

T' 4.7l T'4,OA FIG. 2. Magnetic hysteresis loops of Pd/Co LS at

x' 85,2A ).. ~ 72,01 300 K with applied magnetic field in the film plane
I (dashed curve) and perpendicular to film surface
-o.od (solid curve) for Co thicknesses down to a mono-
QOO2~
layer.
M(emu) I
t
I---~---;'---- -.--~'----i f---~_+_·~--hII!-fi,---...,'r---__41
-10 -5 5 10 -10 5 10
HlkOe) HlkOs}
T= ::1,01 T=2.d
":62.a! ~" 52.21

-O.003~

5067 J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 63, No. 10, 15 May 1988 P. F. Carcia 5067
 intensity of x-ray satellites is reduced, indicating interdiffu-
ONE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL sion or mixing of the Co and Pd layers. The increase in mag-
><104
2 netization, caused by interdiifusion, is consistent with the
;n ,,,0 ferromagnetic polarization of Pd atoms by Co atoms known
I-
Z
:::>
to occur in dilute Pd-Co alloys.14 The implication of this
0=0-
!Xi
a:: experimental result is that sharp interfaces in Pd/Co LS are
in ~l important for perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Other
I- >-
Z I-
iii
Pd/Co LS show a similar trend of the loss of the perpendicu-
::;)
z lar easy axis with high-temperature annealing. However, de-
Ili w
I-
a: ~ -3
-1
tails of magnetic and structural property changes differ for
5 0 -4,-2 .1.2
>- 30 34 38 42 46 50 samples with different periodicities and Co thicknesses, and
!::
VI 28 (DEGREES) more experiments are needed to understand these differ-
z
w
I-
ences.
~ When the effective anisotropy field H K is plotted against
the inverse Co thickness for LS with a perpendicular easy
axis, we find a linear relationship (Fig. 5) that can be inter-
preted to be due to an interface anisotropy of the type first
+1
proposed by N eel. 8 That is, the Co atoms at Pd interfaces are
+2 more easily polarized perpendicular to the film surface. The
linear relationship can be seen if the anisotropy energy, ap-
46 40 30
proximated by the triangular area bounded by the saturation
29 (DEGREES)
magnetization Ms and the anisotropy field H K , i.e.,
FIG. 3. Comparison of experimental x-ray diffraction spectrum with that 1/2HKMs, is equated to the an interfacial anisotropy energy
calculated from an ideal one-dimensional diffraction grating model (insert) contribution 2KslI., where A 12 is the number of interfaces
for Pd/Co layered structure: A = 91.8 A, T= 4.9 A.
per centimeter. Then
(1)
PalCo where the saturation magnetization has been approximated
UtlQtlMuled 0.02 by M s = Mo ( T / A), and Mo is the saturation magnetization
for Co. Using this approximate expression, we estimate a
magnitude for Ks ~O.18 erg/cm2, favoring a perpendicular
easy axis.
A more complete accounting of the anisotropy energies
5 10
H(kOe)

A'40.s!
T·4.9A
-0.02
6000r
----- I
=~
-10 -5 5 10
H{kOe) 4000
0;
9
:.:
:r
3000

It BOA
o 50A
2000 II 33A
09.51
A 26A
'V 19A
10
1000

0.06
• 0.14 0.18 0.22
liT (.3.-11
-0.02-
FIG. 5. Anisotropy field H K vs the reciprocal of the Co layer thickness Tin
FIG. 4. Effect of vacuum annealing of a Pd/Co LS on perpendicular anisot- Pd/Co LS. Symbols denote experimental data for different Pd thicknesses.
ropy. Solid line is the linear fit to data.

5068 J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 63, No. i 0, 15 May 1988 P. F. Carcia 506B
 0.20

3000

• BOA
o 50A
o
2000
II 33A
O.OS o 9.5A vo
A 26.4

~ O.04~ 0
'V 19A ::t 1000

1 I
! 00°1 6 10 12 T(A)

~-0.O41 II
-o.oa~
-O.12L
-0.16
-0.20
FIG. 6. Total anisotropy energy Ku multiplied by the Pd!Co bilayer period
A, vs Co layer thickness T. Symbols denote experimental data for different
Pd thicknesses. Solid line is the fit ofEq. (2).
can be achieved by considering the uniaxial anisotropy ener-
gy K u ' calculated from the difference in the areas of the per-
pendicular (applied field direction) and parallel magnetiza-
tion curves. 15 Figure 6 is a plot of K u J. vs Co thickness for LS
with different Pd thicknesses. Ku is set equal to a sum of
energies, consisting of an interfacial anisotropy (2Ks l A), a
volume anisotropy (KvT IA), and a demagnetization ener-
gy (27TM~T /.IL)ofCo layers:
Ku= -(2Ks/J.+KvTIA+27TM~TIA). (2)
The fit (solid line) of this equation to the data is given in Fig.
6, from which we find Ks = - 0.16 erg/em 2 , close to the
estimate from Fig. 5< The negative sign in our convention
FIG. 8. Anisotropy field HK vs the Co layer thickness Tin Pt!Co LS.
favors a perpendicular easy axis. The volume contribution
Kv = - 9 X 106 erg/cm 3 is -50% larger than thecrystaHo-
graphic anisotropy known for hep Co and some fraction of
this anisotropy may be attributable to magnetoelastic anisot-
ropy of strained Co layers. Note that Ku changes sign at Co
thickness ~ 8 A.
Pt/Co LS are another system exhibiting a perpendicular
easy axis of magnetization when the Co layers are ultrathin.
This is illustrated by the hysteresis loops in Fig. 7 for Co
thicknesses of 2.6, 5.1, 8.6, and 13.4 A in LS with Pt thick-
ness of -55 A. Similar sequences were also obtained for Pt
thicknesses of -45 and ~38 A. Several features of these
hysteresis loops are distinct from Pd/Co curves. First is the
lower coercivity, and consequently lower remanent magneti-
zation. Second, the in-plane direction is a hard axis ofmag-
netization, even for relatively thick Co layers (e.g., 13.4 A.).
Also, ferromagnetism exists at room temperature in aPt/Co
LS with ~ a monolayer of Co, whereas a Pd/Co LS with
correspondingly thin Co (Fig. 2) is not ferromagnetic until
cooled.
A key distinction between Pt/Co and Pd/Co LS is the
dependence of anisotropy on Co thickness. Figure 8 shows
the Co thickness dependence of the anisotropy field, ob-

FUCa

M." 159 emu/cm 3

~---'--1'------ ------+-------; f------.--+--------

~ ~ 5 m~ ~
HtWs) H(kOe)
T=2.6A T=5.1A
). = 55.2.0. X =57.21. FIG. 7. Magnetic hysteresis loops of pt/Co LS at
300 K with applied magnetic field in the film plane
-0.01
(dashed clll've) and perpendicular to the film (solid
0.01 0.02 curve).
M(emu) M(emu)
IIA&
r-------+-----
-10 -5
H(kOe) H(kOe)

T=S.S A T=13.4 A
x=62.7A ~=69.3A

5069 J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 63, No.1 0, i 5 May 1988 P. F. Carcia 5069
tained by linear extrapolation of the in-plane loop at small
applied field to the saturation magnetization. At Co thick-
nesses less than ~ 14 A, H K is nearly constant with a value
- 3 kOe, falling to < - 500 Oe below 14 A. This dependence
is in contrast to the inverse Co dependence for Pd!Co LS
shown in Fig. 5, and H K is also smaller for Pt-LS than for Pd-
LS with the thinnest Co. The difference in the Co thickness
dependence of H K suggests that the mechanism for the per-
pendicular easy axis is different in Pt/Co LS.
The trend toward loss of perpendicular anisotropy with
high-temperature vacuum annealing is also observed in Pt/
Co. Figure 9 illustrates the changes in magnetic anisotropy
and structure that occur with annealing. After annealing at
400 ·C for 2 h, the in-plane direction becomes the easy axis of
magnetization and the layers interdiifuse, as interpreted by
the loss in x-ray diffraction intensity of the two satellite
peaks. In this particular sample, a reduction in x-ray
linewidths accompanies the annealing and may be interpret-
ed to be due to a reduction of interface roughness with conse-
quent longer range structural coherence.
DISCUSSION
A key question in Pd/Co and Pt!Co LS is what is the
character of the interfaces and how does it relate to magnetic
anisotropy in these films. In the following sections, resistiv-
ity, magnetization, and x-ray diffraction results are inter-
preted in terms of differences in the interfaces of these LS. In
summary, we have found that Pd/Co LS with an easy per-
pendicular magnetic axis and high remanent magnetization
are optimized when the films are sputtered under low ada-
tom or low mobility conditions. Optimized films are charac-
terized by lower resistivity ( p) and higher resistance ratio
(R 30c/R 4 .2 ), and a magnetization which can be approxi-
mately accounted for by the Co layers alone. These charac-
teristics, we contend, are those of sharper interfaces, as con-
trasted with mixed or anoyed interfaces. Consistent with this
contention is the higher anisotropy found for evaporated
Pd!Co LS.5 Evaporated atoms have at least an order of mag-
nitude lower energy than sputtered atoms, and thus sharper
interfaces should be anticipated in evaporated films. We
PlICD
Uncnneoled Anne::Jted 400"C {21w}
r----'\--- --"-!--_.---!
-10 -5 5 10
K(kDol
-0.01 1 Pt
FIG. 9. Effect of vacuum annealing of aPt/Co LS on perpendicular mag-
netic anisotropy and structure (x-ray diffraction pattern).
5070 J. Appl. Phys., VoL 63, No.1 0, 15 May i 988
have also observed that higher perpendicular anisotropies
are achieved with a magnetron Co target than with an rf Co
target. In magnetron sputtering, the plasma is confined to
the vicinity of the target, and the substrates experience less
bombardment by energetic 'particles, that would promote
interfacial mixing. Furthermore, we would not anticipate
interfacial alloying as the source of the unusual perpendicu-
lar anisotropy, since Pd·Co alloys reported in the Hterature l6
and synthesized in our laboratory do not have a perpendicu-
lar easy magnetic axis.
By contrast, Pt/Co LS with perpendicular magnetic an-
isotropy have relatively high resistivity and an enhanced
magnetization, both of which can be explained by the pres-
ence of chemically mixed Pt-Co interfaces. Pt-Co alloys with
perpendicular magnetic anisotropy have been reported in
the literature, 17 and it is tempting to attribute the perpendic-
ular easy axis to mixed Pt-Co interfaces.
RESISTIVITY
Table I summarizes the results of electrical resistivity
measurements on Pt/Co and Pd!Co LS, and the influence of
sputtering conditions on magnetic anisotropy energy Ku'
Room-temperature resistivities for the individually sput-
tered metals are also included. Pd!Co LS sputtered at 10
mTorr of Ar and 400-W total power applied to both targets
have room-temperature resistivities in the range 21-26
fln em; films sputtered under higher mobility conditions, 6
mTorr(Ar) and 900 W or 3 mTorr(Ar) and 400 W, have
higher resistivities: 28-38 pO em over the same range of per-
iodicities and Co concentrations. For reference, thick (- 1
pm), sputtered metal films have resistivities of -10 flO em
(Co) and-iS flO em (Pd). Also, the resistance ratio for
lew mobility conditions is higher, 2.1-2.5 versus 1.3-1.7 fer
high mobility conditions. Both the lower p and higher resis-
tance ratio (RR) are more metallic characteristics. Pt/Co
LS were only sputtered at 10 mTorr(Ar). The room-tem-
perature resistivity for LS with perpendicular magnetic an-
isotropy was in the range 40-50 pO em, even higher than for
Pd/Co LS synthesi.zed under high mobility conditions.
In a recent publication,18 Rowell has argued that the
electrical resistivity behavior of metal superlattices reflects
the character of their interfaces. He suggests that metal su-
perlattices with abrupt interfaces should have a resistivity
TABLE 1. Resistance and magnetic anisotropy properties of Pd/Co and
pt/Co layered structures vs sputtering conditions. Comparison to resistiv-
ity of individual sputtered metal films is inclUded.
P Pw p(3OO)
p(3OO)
(mTorrl (Watts) (,uo'cm) Ku
p(4.2)
I'd/Co 3 400 28-34 small (l-easy axis)
Pd/Co 6 900 28-38 1.3-1.7 -0
Pd/Co W-20 4<Xl 21-26 2.1-2.5 large (I-easy axis)
PUCo 10 400 4O-S0 small (I-easy axis)
Pd to 200 18
10 200 16
Co 10 200 10
P. F. Carcia 5070
intermediate to those of the constituent metals and a large Pd/Co LS (78 WT % Pa}
resistivity ratio. characteristic of metals. Mixed interfaces
will have resistivities as much as a factor of 10 higher with a 640
RR~ 1. This follows from the fact that interfacial com- Pd ~ Co ~ Pd ~
pounds or alloys will have much higher resistivity than their i-'---- ).. ----ol
metal components and can be expected to dominate the re- M· Mai2W/)')+Mc,,(T~)')
sistivity characteristic. Adopting these guidelines, we ob- 560
serve in Pd/CoLS that resistivity trends correspond to more
metallic or sharper interfaces for lower mobility sputtering W1>J3 ATOMIC
/ LAVERS
conditions that optimize perpendicular magnetic anisotro-
py. Then the higher pin Pt/Co LS signals even greater inter-
"
p.. =900W
facial mixing than occurs in Pd LS. The higher kinetic ener-
PAr·6mToH
gy of sputtered Pt atoms l9 and its greater propensity for
440
alloy formation with Co20 are consistent with more interfa- "
cial mixing, as interpreted by resistivity data.
400 ._._,_,_.~,_._._._,_L~~_._._._._,_._._.

MAGNETIZATION 360~t~!~~!~~!~~! __~I~~!__~!~~!~~i

10 20 30 40 50 SO 70 60 90
Induced magnetization in either Pd or Pt by Co atoms is PERIODICITY, ).(Al

a wen-studied phenomenon. 2l In LS it can cause magnetic FIG, 10. Fit of interfacial alloy model for magnetization ofPd/Co LS with
enhancements, which may be used to estimate the degree of 22 wt. % Co.
interfacial mixing. In a previous publication, II we reported
enhanced magnetization in Pd/Co LS and modeled it by an
induced magnetization in unmixed Pd layers caused by adja- abrupt interfaces, with only unmixed Co layers contributing
cent Co layers. Those films were synthesized under "high to the magnetization, Le., W = Mi = O. The agreement is
mobility" conditions (6-mTorr Ar and 900 W). The calcu- quite good, although we do not mean to imply by this result
lated magnetic moment induced in the Pd atoms nearest the that these interfaces are perfectly abrupt, but instead that
Co layers was ~ l.4-bohr magnetons, very large compared they are sharp. In contrast. most ofthe Pt/Co LS lie on the
to literature values obtained for dilute alIoys.22 An alterna- curve corresponding to 2 WI A = 0.4. 23 For A = 65 A, this
tive explanation is that interfacial alloying causes the in- corresponds to W-13 A (-6 atomic layers). Clearly, at-
duced magnetization.
The relationship between the width ( W) of the alloyed
region, the remaining unmixed Co thickness (T'), and the
mass fraction (x) of Co in one period (A) can be written as Pt/Co

600
(3)
,;:;
E 400
~
where PI' P2. and p a are, respectively. the densities of Co, Pd, E
and the alloyed region, assumed to contain 50% Co; vii i and ..!!
,Al2 are the atomic masses of Co and Pd. The total magneti-
zation is then given by

(4)

where Ma. M o, and ;ifi are, respectively, the magnetization Pd/Co

of the aHoy, Co, and the induced magnetization in the Pd
400~
layer. Applying Eqs. (3) and (4) to the Pd/Co LS in Ref. ! 1
with x = 0.22, the best fit (Fig. 10) to the magnetization
data is obtained for an interfacial aHoy width W ~ 6 A. At
m
E
300'
IdeallS " ""'~"'"
II
small A, the measured magnetization tends toward a value
u
3200
E !l<l...•.. 'o···
\ . ".t\'"
I
!
very close to 650 emu/cm3, the magnetization measured for
an alloyl4 with x = 0.22. In this fit Ma was taken to be 1000
..!!
:::E
100
.CIr'··· .. ·• .. ··~· I
..•.....•..0 ••.•..
emu/cm\ higher than 844 emu/cm' for a 50% aHoy, and o ............ .
Mi=O. 0,00 0,02 0,04 0.06 0,08 0.10 0.12 0.14
In Fig. 11, the magnetizations of Pd/Co and Pt/Co LS ,,(FRACTION OF Co)
with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are presented ver-
FI G. 11. Comparison of Co concentration dependence of magnetization in
sus mass fraction (x) of Co, For Pd/Co the curve through Pd/Co and Pt/Co LS with vertical magnetic anisotropy to magnetization
the data represents the magnetization of an ideal LS with for ideal layered structure and interfacial alloy models.

5071 J, Appl. Phys" Vol. 63, No. 10, 15 May 1988 P. F. Carcia 5071

- q • • • • • • • •- . - . ' , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~•••~. . . . . . . . . . . . .- ••• "' •••••• ~. . . . . . . . . . ' . ' •••" ' ••••••~. . . . . . . . . . . . .' • • v."..-..·.·.·.··.· .,,"'"...•.•.•...•.••......••• o', ••••••-.;-•• •••
"< •••••.-.................. ~ ;O;'..................""""" ••~...................""•••--.;~. . . . . . . . . . .~•••o;<;>• ..-.--. ...............~.~••• <;<; •••..--..........~.o;-.<; • .-•••••••',',9",.- •• n ••
 XRD of Pd/Cc lS PdlCo

0.8

5 0 .6
~
e: 04
"
u
0.2

30 40
29

FIG. l4. Co compositional profile YS film depth calculated from low angle
x-ray diffraction data fDr PdlCo LS with A = 58 A, T = 7 A.

scattering angles, the diffraction is caused almost entirely by

4.0 EI.O
29
FIG. 12. Low and high angle x-ray diffraction characterization .of Pd/CD
LS: A = 58 A, T= 7 A.
tributing enhanced magnetization in these LS to an interfa-
cial anoy leads to the conclusion that Pd/Co LS with perpen-
dicular magnetic anisotropy and prepared at "low mobility"
conditions have sharper interfaces than Pt LS with corre-
sponding magnetic properties.
XaRAY DIFFRACTION
Finally, it is possible to get a direct estimate of the com-
positional profile by x-ray diffraction analysis. 24 At sman
XFtD 01 PIICO LS
the composition modulation, the lattice spacing modulation
is negligible. The diffraction intensity at small angles is pro-
portiona! to C ~ (fa - h )2,24 where fa and ib are the atom-
5.0 ic scattering factors of each metal, and Cn is the nth Fourier
coefficient of the composition modulation. Figures 12 and 13
show low and high angle x-ray scattering data for a represen-
tative Pd/Co and Pt/Co LS. These data were obtained at the
synchrotron light source at Brookhaven National Laborato-
ry. The Pt film contains ten and the Pd film four low angle
peaks. A narrow slit width, which attenuated the intensity of
the incident primary beam, was employed at the lowest an-
gles in order to minimize the detector and ancillary electron-
ics recovery time,25 caused by the very intense primary and
first-order peaks.
The integrated intensities, fitted with Gaussians and
corrected only by the single-crystal Lorentz factor (1/
sin 2B), were used to calculate the compositional profiles
shown in Figs, 14 and 15. The calculated profiles in each
figure are compared with the corresponding truncated (ten
terms for the Pt LS and four for the Pd LS) and normalized
Fourier series representations (dashed curve) of ideal rec-
tangular wave modulation for the calculated periodicity and

Pt/Co

A" 89.9A
T ~ 13.9£

1.0
z
~ 0.8
u LS

.,
~ Q,St-
I

~~r'
u..
X300
.3 0.4
0.2

!I~U
~~ ~ ~3 n"4
,

_".:~~._~ _ _ _ _~~
.-10

70
D~TH 110
1.2 2.0 3.0 4.0 5..0 6.0 7.0 8..0 9.0 10..0 120
28 SO FILM (.4) iOO

FIG. 13. Low and high angle x-ray diffracticn characterization of Pt/Co FIG. 15. Co compositional profile vs film depth calculated from low angle
=
LS: l.. 88.3 fl., T= 13.6 fl.. x-ray diffraction data for Pt/Co LS with A = 88.3 A, T= 13.6 A.

5072 J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 63, No.1 0, 15 May 1988 P. F. Carcia 5072
Co thickness. We chose the phases of the experimental pro-
files to correspond to ideal rectangular modulation. The in-
terface in the Pt/Co film is clearly diffuse. Although the
profile for the Pd/Co LS is based on fewer diffracted peaks, it
is closer to that for the ideal rectangular modulation and
corroborates a sharper interface.
CONCLUSION
Pd/Co and Pt/Co LS have an easy axis of magnetization
perpendicular to the thin-film plane, when the Co layers are
very thin ( < 8 A in Pd and < 14 A in Pt). In Pd/Co, inter-
face anisotropy is responsible. The inverse dependence of
HK on Co layer thickness, metallic electrical resistivity be-
havior, negligible enhancement in magnetization, and a
sharper Co compositional profile estimated from low angle
x-ray diffraction support relatively sharp interfaces. The Co
atoms at Pd interfaces are thus more easily polarized perpen-
dicular to the film surface. As the Co layer increases, the
influence of interior Co atoms becomes more important and
the magnetic easy axis switches to in-plane. In Pt/Co LS, we
contend that interfacial mixing occurs, which may be the
source of perpendicular anisotropy. We also note that Pt~Co
alloys with a perpendicular easy magnetic axis are known in
the literature. Alternatively, interface Co atoms may also
contribute to the perpendicular easy axis in Pt/Co LS, but
interfacial mixing may dilute that anisotropy contribution.
As evidence for a mixed interface, we find high electrical
resistivity, enhanced magnetization, and a diffuse Co com-
positional profile from x-ray diffraction in Pt/Co LS.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank A. D. Meinhaldt for techni-
cal assistance in sputtering the films and characterizing
them magnetically. I also gratefully acknowledge D. Cox of
the Brookhaven National Laboratory, R. Harlow, and G.
Jones for their assistance in acquiring and analyzing the x-
ray diffraction data.
5073 J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 63, No. 10, 15 May 1988
'See, for example, articles on metal superlattices and references in Synthetic
Modulated Structures, edited by L. L. Chang and B. C. Glessen (Aca-
demic, Orlando, FL, 1985).
2S. Iwasaki, K. Ouchi, and N. Honda, IEEE Trans. Magn. MAG-14, 849
(1978).
'P. Chandhari, J. J. Cuomo, and R. J. Gambino, IBM J. Res. Dev. 17, 66
(1973).
4p. F. Carcia, A. D. Meinhaldt. and A. Suna, App!. Phys. Lett. 47, 178
( 1985).
'H. J. G. Draaisma, F. J. A. den Broooer and W. J. M. deJonge, J. Magn.
Magn. Mater. 66, 351 (1987).
"N. Sato, J. Appl. Phys. 59, 2514 (1986).
7E. M. Gyorgy, J. F. Dillon, D. B. McWhan, L. W. Rupp, and L. R. Tes-
tardi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 45,57 (1980).
xL. Neel, J. Phys. Rad. 15, 225 (1954).
gpo F. Carcia and A. Sum" J. AppL Phys. 54, 2000 (1983).
"'D. E. Cox, MRS Bulletin, xn, 16 (1987). See also references therein.
lip. F. Carcia, A. Sun a, D. G. Onn, and R. van Antwerp, J. Superlattices
Microstructures I, 10 i (1985).
12M. R. Khan, C. S. L Chlln, G. P. Felcher, M. Grimsditch, A. KlIcny, C.
M. Falco, and L K. Schuller, Phys. Rev. B 27, 7186 (1983).
13R. M. Fleming, D. B. McWhan, A. C. Gossard, W. Wiegmann, and R. A.
Logan, J. App). Phys. 51, 257 (1980).
14R. M. Bozarth, P. A. Wolff, D. D. Davis, V. B. Compton, and I. H. Wer-
nick, Phys. Rev.i22, 1157 (1961).
"n. D. Cullity, Introduction to Magnetic Materials (Addison-Wesley,
Reading, MA, 1972), p. 248.
"'K. Kobayashi and G. Ishida, J. App!. Phys. 52, 2453 (1981).
I7D. Treves, J. T. Jacobs, and E. Sawatzky, J. Appl. Phys. 46, 2760 (1975).
'"J. M. Rowell, in Frontiers in Electronic Materials and Processing, edited by
L. 1. Brillsoll (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1986), p. 64.
,qG. K. Wehner and G. S. Anderson, Handbook of Thin Film Technology,
edited by L. Maissel and R. Giang (McGraw-Hili, New York, 1970), pp.
3-23.
I
2[ A. R. Miedema, PhiL Tech. Rev. 33,149 (1973).
2tJ. A. Mydosh and G. J. Nicuwenhuys, Ferromagnetic l11aterials, edited by
E. P. Wohlfarth (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1980), Vol. I, p. 71.
220. G. Low and T. M. Holden, Proc. Phys. Soc. 89, (1966).
231'0 simplify the analysis, 2 W / A was a fitting parameter, and therefore the
vallie of Wis only approximate. However, since the periodicities analyzed
were in a narrow range of values, ~ 50-65 A, the approximation should be
valid.
24D. B. McWhan, in Synthetic Modulated Structures, edited by 1.. L Chang
and B. C. Giessen (Academic, Orlando, FL, 1985), p. 53.
"It should be noted that the integrated intensity of the first-order diffrac-
tion peak would be underestimated, if the recovery time is not < 1 p.s,
which we estimate.
P. F. Carcia 5073