Lithography and self-assembly for nanometer scale magnetism
S. Anders, S. Sun, et al.
Microelectronic Engineering
Electron beam evaporated Co/Pt multilayers {[Co(tConm)/Pt(1 nm)]10, 0.2<tCo<2 nm} with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and room temperature coercivities Hc = 2- 15 kOe are studied as a function of growth temperature TG. Hysteresis loops and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) indicate changes in the magnetization reversal mechanism along with a sharp increase in coercivity for TG≳230-250°C. Films grown at TG<230°C (TCo = 0.2-0.4 nm) show micrometer size magnetic domains and rectangular hysteresis indicating magnetization reversal dominated by rapid domain wall motion following nucleation at Hn~Hc. Films grown at TG>250°C show fine-grained MFM features on the sub-100-nm length scale indicating reversal dominated by localized switching of small clusters. High-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with elemental analysis shows columnar grains extending throughout the multilayer stack. Co depletion and structural defects at the grain boundaries provide a mechanism for exchange decoupling of adjacent grains, which may result in the high coercivities observed. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.
S. Anders, S. Sun, et al.
Microelectronic Engineering
Barton A. Smith, R.L. Siemens, et al.
ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry Washington DC Meeting 1990
A. Moser, C.T. Rettner, et al.
INTERMAG 2000
A. Moser, C.T. Rettner, et al.
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics