Combined low- and high-angle x-ray structural refinement of a Co/Pt(111) multilayer exhibiting perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Abstract

We have used Cu Kα radiation to measure both specular reflectivity (000) and longitudinal Bragg diffraction (222) from a Co/Pt multilayer grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on a sapphire (0001) substrate. By refining both low- and high-angle profiles, we are able to separate the effects of surface morphology from microstructure. Our results indicate mixing at the interfaces consistent with the existence of alloy or compound formation.