Exchange Anisotropy of Co-CoO Multilayered Films

Multilayered Co-CoO films were fabricated to study the relation of the exchange force between Co and CoO and the magnetic characteristics. The main purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the phenomenon of rapid decrease in vertical magnetic anisotropy constant (Ku) and coercive force (Hc) up to about 380 K is attributtable to the origin of Hc and Ku. It was found that Hshift (loop shifts of films fabricated changiing with thickness of one period) is closely related to the exchange force between Co and CoO. The conclusion is that the temperature-dependence of Hc for a Co-CoO multilayered film is intimately related to the temperature-dependence of the exchange force between Co and CoO.