Epitaxial growth of Co(0 0 0 1)hcp/Fe(1 1 0)bcc magnetic bi-layer films on SrTiO3(1 1 1) substrates

Co(0 0 0 1)hcp/Fe(1 1 0)bcc epitaxial magnetic bi-layer films were successfully prepared on SrTiO3(1 1 1) substrates. The crystallographic properties of Co/Fe epitaxial magnetic bi-layer films were investigated. Fe(1 1 0)bcc soft magnetic layer grew epitaxially on SrTiO3(1 1 1) substrate with two type variants, Nishiyama–Wasserman and Kurdjumov–Sachs relationships. An hcp-Co single-crystal layer is obtained on Ru(0 0 0 1)hcp interlayer, while hcp-Co layer formed on Au(1 1 1)fcc or Ag(1 1 1)fcc interlayer is strained and may involve fcc-Co phase. It has been shown possible to prepare Co/Fe epitaxial magnetic bi-layer films which can be usable for patterned media application.