Effect of multilayer configuration of [Fe/Pt] multilayer to attain (001) oriented FePt ordered alloy thin films

Abstract

L 1 0 -FePt ordered alloy thin films with (001) preferential orientation were fabricated from [Pt(1 nm)/Fe(1 nm)]3/Pt(3 nm)/Fe(3 nm) multilayers to reduce the ordering temperature. Pt(3 nm)/Fe(3 nm) layer beneath the [Pt(1 nm)/Fe(1 nm)]3 multilayer played a role as a seed layer to attain perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. These films, after being annealed at 500 °C under hydrogen atmosphere, exhibited better growth characters of FePt(001) oriented crystallites than those of FePt prepared from [Pt(1 nm)/Fe(1 nm)]6. Additionally, [Pt(1 nm)/Fe(1 nm)]3/Pt(3 nm)/Fe(3 nm) multilayers, after being annealed at 500 °C, showed high value of saturation magnetization around 12 kG.