Interface anisotropy and chemistry of magnetic multilayers: Au/Co, Pt/Co and Pd/Co

Abstract Interfaces of ion beam sputtered Au/Co, Pt/Co and Pd/Co multilayers have been investigated with respect to a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Special attention has been paid to a precise determination of individual layer thicknesses, which can be extracted from multiple diffraction satellite peaks in X-ray diffraction to within ±2%. For the first time in situ photoelectron diffraction experiments on thin bilayers of ≈ 1.0 nm Co on Au, Pt and Pd are presented which provide strong evidence for back-diffusion earlier proposed by Den Broeder et al. in Au/Co and interdiffusion of Pt/Co and Pd/Co in annealing experiments at T a = 300°C. Resistivity measurements in the range 20°C ≤ T a ≤ 300°C support the above interpretation.