Correlation of structure and magnetism of ultrathin Co films on Pd(001) prepared by thermal and pulsed laser deposition

We present a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the atomic structure and the magnetic properties of 1- and 2-monolayer (ML)-thick Co films on Pd(001) grown by thermal deposition (TD) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). While surface x-ray diffraction measurements show that the geometri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review. B, Condensed matter and materials physics Condensed matter and materials physics, 2007-07, Vol.76 (3), Article 035425
Main Authors: Meyerheim, H. L., Przybylski, M., Ernst, A., Shi, Y., Henk, J., Soyka, E., Kirschner, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANISOTROPY
ANNEALING
COBALT
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
EPITAXY
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
KERR EFFECT
LASER RADIATION
LAYERS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
PULSED IRRADIATION
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
RELAXATION
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
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Summary:We present a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the atomic structure and the magnetic properties of 1- and 2-monolayer (ML)-thick Co films on Pd(001) grown by thermal deposition (TD) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). While surface x-ray diffraction measurements show that the geometric structures of the as-deposited samples differ depending on the deposition method (alloy formation for PLD versus epitaxial growth for TD), magneto-optic Kerr-effect loops indicate an in-plane easy magnetization axis independent of the preparation method. Annealing at 600 K induces a reorientation of the easy magnetization axis from in-plane to out of plane. This goes in parallel with substantial structural reorganization, leading to a Co/Pd multilayer structure with a top Pd layer. In agreement with experiments, fully relativistic Kohn-Korringa-Rostoker calculations including experimentally derived structural relaxations and disorder predict in-plane magnetization for the as-grown samples and out-of-plane magnetization for the annealed 2 ML sample characterized by an (incomplete) Pd/Co/Pd/Co/Pd(001) layer sequence. However, in-plane magnetization for the 1 ML Pd/Co/Pd(001) sandwich is theoretically predicted. Our study emphasizes the decisive importance of structural order, relaxation, and interface contribution to the magnetic anisotropy energy.
ISSN:1098-0121
1550-235X
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevB.76.035425