Morphology and magnetic properties of ECR ion beam sputtered Co/Pt films

We report the fabrication of magnetic films using electron cyclotron resonance ion beam sputtering. The films consist of a Pt buffer layer, a thin magnetic Co layer and a Pt cap. Varying the thickness of the layers, we can tune the magnetic properties and a uniaxial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy can be obtained. Materials like amorphous silicon oxide, amorphous carbon, glass, mica and potassium bromide have been used as substrates. We have analyzed the structure of Co/Pt films on amorphous carbon by means of transmission electron microscopy. The analysis reveals that the buffer layers are polycrystalline with a (1 1 1)-texture, which increases with Pt thickness. The average grain-size is linearly correlated with the total thickness of the Pt buffer layer. While Co grows predominantly in its HCP stacking with c-axis aligned parallel to the surface normal, FCC grains with a strong (1 1 1) texture are also found. Scanning tunneling microscopy investigations reveal an average surface roughness of the Pt buffer layer of 3.0Å. For buffer thickness ⩾60Å we find similar magnetic properties for all Co films, not depending on the substrate materials. Co films of 4-8 Å thickness exhibit a perpendicular easy axis of magnetization, while a spin reorientation transition is found in a thickness range of 8-13 Å. Above 13 Å an in-plane easy axis of magnetization is obtained.