Magnetic properties of compositionally modulated Tb/FeCo films

An investigation was made to evaluate the variation in the magnetic and magneto-optical properties of compositionally modulated Tb/FeCo films prepared by two source rf magnetron-sputtering as a function of compositional period. The period of the compositional modulation was controlled by substrate rotation and the minimum period was 9Å. With the variation of the compositional period, these magnetic and magneto-optical properties changed greatly, and the films with the period of 23Å showed high Kerr rotation angle and low Curie temperature. Above 29Å the individual magnetic moment of FeCo and Tb layers mainly contributed to the total magnetic moment, and the magnetic moment of FeCo dominated the resultant magnetization.