Field orientation dependence of magnetization reversal in thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Abstract

The magnetization reversal process of hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) (0001) oriented Co and Co90Ru10 thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) has been studied as a function of temperature and applied magnetic field angle. Room temperature pure cobalt exhibits two characteristic reversal mechanisms. For angles near in-plane field orientation, the magnetization reversal proceeds via instability of the uniform magnetic state, whereas in the vicinity of the out-of-plane (OP) orientation, magnetization inversion takes place by means of domain nucleation. Temperature dependent measurements enable the modification of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and reveal a gradual disappearance of the domain nucleation process during magnetization reversal for elevated temperatures. Ultimately, this suppression of the domain nucleation process leads to the exclusive occurrence of uniform state instability reversal for all field orientations at sufficiently high temperature. Comparative magnetic measurements of Co90Ru10 alloy samples allow the identification and confirmation of the high temperature remanent magnetization state of cobalt as an OP stripe domain state despite the reduction of magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Detailed micromagnetic simulations supplement the experimental results and corroborate the physical understanding of the temperature dependent behavior. Moreover, they enable a comprehensive identification of the complex energy balance in magnetic films with PMA, for which three different magnetic phases occur for sufficiently high anisotropy values, whose coexistence point is tricritical in nature.