Optimization of Co/Pt multilayers for applications of current-driven domain wall propagation

Reference:

Wang, K., Wu, M. C., Lepadatu, S., Claydon, J. S., Marrows, C. H. and Bending, S. J., 2011. Optimization of Co/Pt multilayers for applications of current-driven domain wall propagation. Journal of Applied Physics, 110 (8), 083913.

Official URL:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3654045

Abstract

A series of Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy has been grown by magnetron sputtering and characterized using magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements with a view to optimizing samples for current-driven domain motion applications. The influence of the thickness of both Co and Pt layers on the coercivity and switching behavior has been systematically investigated. The coercivity was found to depend strongly on the thickness of the Co layer and clear perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was observed in multilayer stacks with Co thickness ranging from 3 to 7 A. Upon increasing the Co thickness further the magnetization reverts to the in-plane direction and both the coercivity and the remanence drop rapidly, with the former becoming dominated by shape anisotropy. Increasing the thickness of the Pt buffer layer leads to improved perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with higher coercive fields. In contrast, the thickness of the Pt capping layers does not appear to have any systematic influence on the anisotropy in the range of 22-62 A. The coercivity can be further affected by the number of repeat Co layers in the stack due to exchange and magnetic coupling between adjacent Co layers. Upon increasing the thickness of the intermediate Pt spacer layer beyond 27 A, a transition from a coherent single-unit-like reversal to a sequential layer-by-layer reversal was observed. Structures with sharp switching fields and medium coercivity (50-150 Oe) have Co thickness fractions in the range 5 7 of the total stack height and should be well optimized for studying current-driven domain motion at low current densities.

Details

Item Type	Articles
Creators	Wang, K., Wu, M. C., Lepadatu, S., Claydon, J. S., Marrows, C. H. and Bending, S. J.
DOI	10.1063/1.3654045
Departments	Faculty of Science > Physics
Publisher Statement	Bending_JAP_2011_110_083913.pdf: Copyright (2011) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Wang, K., Wu, M. C., Lepadatu, S., Claydon, J. S., Marrows, C. H. and Bending, S. J., 2011. Optimization of Co/Pt multilayers for applications of current-driven domain wall propagation. Journal of Applied Physics, 110 (8), 083913, and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3654045 The Erratum appeared in Journal of Applied Physics, 110, 109903 (2011) and can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3664911; Bending_JAP_2011_110_109903.pdf: Copyright (2011) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Wang, K., Wu, M. C., Lepadatu, S., Claydon, J. S., Marrows, C. H. and Bending, S. J., 2011. Optimization of Co/Pt multilayers for applications of current-driven domain wall propagation. Journal of Applied Physics, 110 (8), 083913, and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3654045 The Erratum appeared in Journal of Applied Physics, 110, 109903 (2011) and can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3664911
Refereed	Yes
Status	Published
ID Code	27554
Additional Information	An Errautum relating to this article was published in Journal of Applied Physics, 110, 109903 (2011); doi: 10.1063/1.3664911

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