Magnetic and Magneto-Optical Properties of Pd/Co Multilayered Films

The magnetic and magneto-optical properties of Pd/Co multilayered films prepared by rf sputtering have been investigated. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of films increases as the layering period ¿ and Co content are decreased. The maximum value obtained for the anisotropy K¿ was 3.8 × 10⁶ erg/cc, where ¿ and the Co content were 11 Ã… and 28 at% respectively. The saturation magnetization increases as ¿ decreases, approaching the same value as for the alloys. The Kerr spectra of multilayered films and of alloy films are alike in having a peak near the wavelength of 400 nm, and they are almost the same when ¿ ≪ 15 A. These results suggest that the perpendicular anisotropy results from compositionally modulated structures with interfacial alloying rather than wdth sharp bilayer interfaces.