MAGNETIC AND MAGNETOOPTICAL PROPERTIES OF FE(X)CO(1-X)/PD MULTILAYER THIN-FILMS

Abstract

We report the dependence of the magnetization, anisotropy constant, and Kerr rotation on the Fe concentration in FexCo1-x/Pd multilayer thin films, where the Fe concentration x varies between 0 and 100 percent with maintaining the same sublayer thicknesses of 2 angstrom FeCo and 9 angstrom Pd. Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy existed for the films having Fe concentration less than about 80 atomic percent. Enhanced magnetization, possibly due to the polarization of Pd, was observed in the full range of Fe concentration. No simple proportional relation between the Kerr rotation and the magnetization was observed in this system.