MAGNETIC AND OPTICAL ANISOTROPY DEPTH PROFILES IN OBLIQUELY DEPOSITED IRON AND COBALT FILMS

The depth profiles of magnetic anisotropy field H(k) and optical reflection anisotropy DELTAr/rBAR due to sputter etching were investigated in iron and cobalt films deposited at an incidence angle of 65-degrees. The sputtering was carried out at a rate of about 0.3 nm/s. For iron films, the depth profile of H(k) is similar to that of DELTAr/rBAR, indicating that H(k) originates from the shape anisotropy of crystallites. From the depth profile we found a peculiar surface layer, where the anisotropy is considerably large in comparison with the inner anisotropy. Replica electron microscopy and X-ray analysis showed that this layer is associated with the exhibition of the crystal habit on the tops of columnar grains. For cobalt films, on the other hand, the depth profiles of H(k) and DELTAr/rBAR are different; this suggests the contribution of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy to H(k).