Magnetic properties and microstructures of sputtered epitaxial Co-rich Co-Pt films

Co3Pt films of various thicknesses were deposited on Pt underlayers by conventional sputtering in order to investigate the effects of Pt underlayers and annealing temperatures on their microstructure and the magnetic properties. XRD and HRTEM analyses reveal perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in films of good epitaxial growth of Co3Pt (002) on the Pt (111) underlayer when annealed at 300 °C. However, Pt atoms in the Pt underlayer will diffuse seriously into the Co3Pt layer when the annealing temperature is increased to 375 °C. This changes the compositions to approach equiatomic CoPt, and shows in-plane magnetic anisotropy with soft magnetic properties.