Reorientational transition of the magnetic anisotropy in Co/Cr(001) superlattices

We have measured the magnetic anisotropy of CoCr(001) superlattices as a function of the cobalt thickness using magneto-optical methods and a torsion magnetometer. The samples grown by molecular-beam epitaxy exhibit a reorientational transition of the easy axis from in-plane orientation for large Co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. B, Condensed matter Vol. 53; no. 6; pp. 3256 - 3262
Main Authors: Zeidler, T, Schreiber, F, Zabel, H, Donner, W, Metoki, N
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 01-02-1996
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Summary:We have measured the magnetic anisotropy of CoCr(001) superlattices as a function of the cobalt thickness using magneto-optical methods and a torsion magnetometer. The samples grown by molecular-beam epitaxy exhibit a reorientational transition of the easy axis from in-plane orientation for large Co thicknesses (t sub Co > =15 A) to out-of-plane for 10 A < =t sub Co < =15 A and back again to the in-plane orientation for t sub Co < =10 A. We provide evidence that this reorientational transition of the magnetization direction is due to a sign change of the interface anistropy constant induced by a concomitant structural phase transition of the Co layers from hcp to bcc with decreasing Co layer thickness.
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ISSN:0163-1829
1095-3795
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevB.53.3256