Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy of Pd/Co and Related Multilayers

Multilayer films consists of noble metal (Pd, Pt, Cu, Au, PdSi) and transition metal(Co, Ni, PdCo, PtCo, CoZr) layers were prepared by rf sputtering method on glass and/or MgO single crystal substrates. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was examined in relation to the magnetostriction, lattice misfits, crystallinity and crystal orientations. The results suggest that the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in noble metal/PdCo alloy multilayers originates from the magnetoelastic energy of the PdCo layers under a stress due to the lattice misfits. In both Pd/Co and Pd/Ni multilayers, the anisotropy was found to depend on the crystal orientation, and the dependence is discussed from the view point of the magnetoelastic surface anisotropy.