Three dimensional atom probe and field ion microscopy analysis of Co/Pd multilayers for perpendicular media applications

Perpendicular magnetic recording is being considered as an important candidate for achieving extremely high density magnetic recording with high thermal stability. One set of materials being most widely studied for this application are Co/Pd and Co/Pt multilayer films. A series of Co/Pd multilayer films, seeded with a Ti-based bilayer seed, were deposited on Si wafers that had been patterned into posts of about 3 micron diameter. Following deposition the posts were patterned using a focus ion beam (FIB) system to form the needle-shaped samples required for 3DAP analysis. The atomic scale composition distribution was characterised using 3DAP, and HREM was used to characterise the atomic scale structure of the films.