EFFECT OF SPUTTER-DEPOSITION PROCESSES ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF PT/CO MULTILAYERS

In this study we used high resolution electron microscopy to characterize the relationship of magnetic properties and synthesis of sputtered Pt/Co multilayers to their microstructure. Growing Pt/Co multilayers by a low energy sputtering process, such as dc magnetron sputtering with Xe, enhanced their (111)-fcc texture and produced a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Sputter-etching substrates before multilayer deposition, or depositing multilayers on a ZnO seed layer with (002) texture, also promoted excellent (111) texture and a large magnetic anisotropy. Some of these multilayers had a large magnetic coercivity, which we attributed to a columnar microstructure with sharp column boundaries. Low energy sputtering processes, including sputtering with high pressure, promoted these structural features.