Enhanced Magnetization at the Interface in Fe83Tb17/Pt Multilayers

• Published in: Journal of low temperature physics Vol. 198; no. 1-2; pp. 11 - 17
• Main Authors: Hamouda, H., Moubah, R., Abid, M., Saifaoui, D., Lassri, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Low temperature physics; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic Materials; Magnetic properties; Magnetic saturation; Magnetism; Magnetization; Multilayers; Optical properties; Organic chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Rotation; Thickness; Interfacial layer; Kerr effect; Magnetic multilayers; Amorphous alloys
• ISSN: 0022-2291; 1573-7357
• DOI: 10.1007/s10909-019-02240-4

Fe
83
Tb
17
/Pt multilayers with different Fe
83
Tb
17
thicknesses (50 ≤ 
t
FeTb
 ≤ 200 Å) were prepared using sputtering technique, and their magnetic and magneto-optical properties were investigated. With decreasing Fe
83
Tb
17
thickness (
t
FeTb
) below 200 Å, the saturation magnetization and the polar Kerr rotation of the multilayers were found to increase. It is found that the interfacial layer with an extended thickness of 10 Å presents a larger magnetization than that of the bulk layer. The magnitude of the magnetization of the interfacial layer suggests that it is rich in Fe with a chemical formula of FePt. Polar Kerr rotation measurements support this scenario. In addition, the out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy was found to decrease with decreasing
t
FeTb
, with a transition to an in-plane magnetization alignment at low Fe
83
Tb
17
thicknesses.