Abstract
The effect of ultrathin Fe layer on perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in magnetron-sputtered Co/Pt multilayers was investigated by magnetic measurements. Magnetization hysteresis (M–H) loops and microstructures of the samples were measured by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. It is found that the PMA is strongly dependent on the interface where Fe layer was doped. When Fe layer was doped at Co/Pt interface where Pt was deposited on Co, the PMA decreases monotonically with Fe layer thickness (t Fe) increasing. However, when Fe layer was doped at Pt/Co interface where Co was deposited on Pt, the PMA shows a peak at t Fe = 0.1 nm. It is considered that the PMA variation is mainly due to the tuning in the electron occupation states of 3d orbits at Fe-doped Pt/Co interface. Furthermore, the annealing stability of PMA can also be improved when Fe layer was doped at Pt/Co interface. HRTEM results demonstrate that the magnetic anisotropy evolution is mainly caused by anneal-induced interdiffusion.
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