STUDY OF COCRPT NIAL THIN-FILMS ON (001)MGO SINGLE-CRYSTALS/

The microstructure and in-plane magnetic properties-of Co72Cr10Pt18/Ni Al thin films sputter deposited on (001) single crystal MgO substrates have been investigated. The orientation relationship between the NiAl underlayer and the MgO substrate is determined to be [001](100)NiAl// [001](110)MgO. The CoCrPt films grow in a fibrous manner on the (001) NiAl underlayer and the orientation relationship between the two layer s is determined to be [<10(1)over bar 1>]GoCrPt//[001]NiAl, and (<1(2) over bar 10>)CoCrPt//(100)NiAl (variant 1), or (<1(2)over bar 10>)CoCr Pt//(010)NiAl (variant 2). The CoCrPt film has two sets of in-plane ma gnetization easy axes. The major easy axes are along the MgO[100] (i.e ., NiAl[1 1(1) over bar0$]) and the MgO[010] (i.e., NiAl[110]) directi ons and the secondary easy axes are along the MgO[110] (i.e., NiAl[100 ]) and the [<(1)over bar 00>] (i.e., NiAl[010]) directions. (C) 1996 A merican Institute of Physics.