Comparison of Magnetic Properties Between Sputtered Co-Cr and Fe-Cr Films

To study the origin of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, the authors compare the magnetic properties of sputtered Co-Cr and Fe-Cr films. In the latter, it is concluded that Cr-poor bcc phase is precipitated in a Cr-rich (53 at% Cr) phase, and that the magnetic anisotropy is due to the shape anisotropy of precipitated Fe grains. As for Co-Cr films, the Ms-T curves and other results suggest considerable composition variation in hcp single-phase regions.