Structural and magnetic properties of annealed FePt/Ag/FePt thin films

► Layered stacks FePt(15 nm)/Ag(x)/FePt(15 nm) (x = 0, 3, 30 nm) were prepared by magnetron sputtering onto thermally oxidized monocrystalline Si substrate. ► Heat treatment was carried out in high vacuum in temperature range of 100-900 °C. ► Characterization of the films was conducted by means of XRD, AFM, SNMS, SQUID. ► Introducing of Ag intermediate layer improves the L10 phase formation kinetic. ► We report transition from chemically disordered A1 phase to chemically ordered L10 phase in FePt thin films.