Structural and magnetic properties of Fe films epitaxially grown on Pd(001)/Cu(001)/Si(001) by sputtering

5-150 nm Fe(001)/70 nm Pd(001)/85 nm Cu(001) films were epitaxially grown o n Si(001) by rf sputtering. Magnetic and structural properties were analyze d by VSM, torque magnetometer and x-ray diffractometer. Epitaxial relations hip of Fe(001)[110]//Pd(001)[010]//Cu(001)[010]//Si(001)[110] was confirmed . The hysteresis loops were characteristic of biaxial anisotropy and the an isotropy fields estimated from magnetization curves were in good agreement with the torque data. Uniaxial anisotropy was mixed with biaxial anisotropy in the torque data. Biaxial crystalline anisotropy decreased with decreasi ng film thickness while uniaxial anisotropy increased. With decreasing film thickness, the direction of uniaxial anisotropy was changed from [100] axi s to [110] axis. The origin for the uniaxial anisotropy was the orthorhombi c deformation of Fe layer which was more pronounced in thinner films.