Perpendicular anisotropy in the amorphous TbCo/Si multilayers

The TbCo/Si multilayers prepared by the rf magnetron sputtering system with various Si thickness have been investigated. X-ray diffraction, magnetic m easurement and Kerr rotation have been performed. No antiferromagnetic coup ling was found for the system. With the thickness of Si layer t(Si) increas ing, the perpendicular anisotropy constant K-u, and the saturation magnetiz ation M-s decreased rapidly. It was assumed that Co2Si and Tb had been form ed in the interfacial zone between TbCo and Si layers due to the interlayer diffusion. The decreasing of M-s is attributed to the decreasing of the ef fective thickness of magnetic layer. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics . [S0021-8979(00)89008-8].