Studies of the magnetic anisotropies of Co(1100)/Cr(211) and Co(1120)/Cr(100) multilayers

Abstract

Co(11̄00)/Cr(211) and Co(112̄0)/Cr(100) multilayers have been simultaneously prepared on MgO(110) and MgO(100) substrates, respectively, by molecular beam epitaxy. They show however distinct magnetic anisotropic behavior which coincides with their magneto–crystalline anisotropy. Magneto–optical Kerr effect shows the existence of a unique easy axis and strong in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in Co(11̄00)/Cr(211) multilayers, which is induced by the well-defined hexagonal crystalline of the Co(11̄00) layers. For Co(112̄0)/Cr(100) multilayers, on the other hand, an in-plane biaxial magnetic anisotropy is found due to the bicrystalline structure of the Co(112̄0) layers.