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Journal of Applied Physics -- April 15, 1996 -- Volume 79, Issue 8 pp. 6282-6284

Influence of the crystal structure on the magnetic property of Co/Cr superlattices

Y. Liou

Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

J. C. A. Huang

Department of Physics, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China

Y. D. Yao, W. T. Yang, S. Y. Liao, and C. P. Chang

Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

Co/Cr superlattices with Co layer thickness of 15 Å and Cr layer thickness of 10 Å have been successfully grown on different substrates, such as MgO, Si, and quartz, by molecular-beam-epitaxy. The crystal structure of all samples has been characterized by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction. Both magnetoresistance (MR) and magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements were used to analyze the magnetic properties of these samples. Excellent epitaxial growth of hcp-Co(100)/bcc-Cr(211) superlattices grown on MgO(110) was observed. Co/Cr superlattices were polycrystalline when grown on Si and amorphous when grown on quartz. Isotropic MRs of less than 1% were observed for all polycrystalline and amorphous Co/Cr superlattices. For Co(100)/Cr(211) superlattices grown on MgO(110), a transverse MR of 14.2% and longitudinal MR of 0.67% were observed. MOKE hysteresis loops show perpendicular magnetization for polycrystalline Co/Cr superlattices grown on Si, and in-plane isotropic magnetization for amorphous Co/Cr superlattices grown on quartz. MOKE hysteresis loops for Co/Cr superlattices grown on MgO(110) show strong anisotropic behavior between the hard and easy directions. The magnetic properties of Co/Cr superlattices are strongly influenced by the crystal structure of Co and Cr which is controlled by the substrate. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.

PII: S0021-8979(96)24508-0
DOI: 10.1063/1.362037
PACS: 75.70.Cn, 68.65.+g, 78.20.Ls, 75.70.Pa        Additional Information