STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATIONS IN PT/CO MULTILAYERS FOR MAGNETOOPTIC RECORDING

A series of Pt/Co (111)-oriented multilayer thin films were sputter-deposited under a number of deposition conditions to promote differences in the structure of the films. The defect density, grain boundary structure, layering and quality of texture were found to depend on the choice of sputtering pressure and gas, namely, Ar, Ar/Xe, or Xe. These differences were correlated to the magnetic and magneto-optic properties of the films. Of major interest were the effects of microstructure on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magnetic coercivity. It is found that the observed coercivity correlates well with the grain boundary structure. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy on the other hand is better correlated with the quality of the layering. The roles of the stacking defect density, quality of the (111) texture, and the effects of grain shape on the perpendicular anisotropy are discussed as well.