In-situ determination of magnetic anisotropies of thin epitaxial Fe(110) and Co(0001) films on W(110) using Brillouin light scattering

Abstract

We show that the values of all significant contributions to magnetic interface and volume anisotropies in thin ferromagnetic films can be evaluated from Brillouin light scattering investigations of magnetostatic spin-wave excitations. The method is applied in situ to epitaxial layers of Fe(110) or Co(0001) on W(110) substrates both uncovered and covered with Pd(111). A large strain-induced uniaxial in-plane anisotropy, K u, is found in Fe(110) on W(110). A monoatomic overlayer of Pd reduces largely the corresponding interface anisotropy. For Co(0001) layers prepared on a Pd(111) buffer layer on W(110) with and without a Pd(111) cover layer, the individual interface contributions to the anisotropies can be determined separately for each magnetic interface. A strong Pd-induced perpendicular anisotropy turns the easy axis of magnetization out-of-plane for Co thicknesses below (12±2)Å.