Growth-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and clustering in NixPt1-x alloys

Polycrystalline and epitaxial (1 0 0), (1 10), and (1 1 1)-oriented Ni3Pt, NiPt, and NiPt3 films were deposited over a range of growth temperatures fr om 80 degreesC to 700 degreesC. Films grown at moderate temperatures (200-4 00 degreesC) exhibit growth-induced properties similar to Co-Pt alloys: enh anced and broadened Curie temperature, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy an d large coercivity. As in Co-Pt, the magnetic properties suggest a clusteri ng of Ni into platelets on the growth surface, as the films are being grown . Unlike Co-Pt, however, NiPt films exhibit a strong orientational dependen ce of anisotropy and enhanced Curie temperature, possibly resulting from di fferent types of surface reconstructions which affect the growth surface. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.