Interface roughness effects on the surface anisotropy in Co/Pt multilayer films

Abstract

We have investigated the effects of interfacial roughness on the surface anisotropy in Co/Pt multilayer films prepared by sputtering. Degree of interfacial roughness was varied by changing the Ar sputtering gas pressure from 2 to 20 mTorr in the sample preparation. The surface anisotropy was found to be increasing with decreasing interface roughness. We have observed that the surface anisotropy energy for the multilayer films prepared at various Ar pressures was logarithmically dependent on the integrated low-angle x-ray intensity. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.