DC-sputtered Pt-3(Co1-xNix) (x=0.4) alloy films at different ultra-high Arpressure with perpendicular anisotropy

The effect of Ar pressure upon the structure, magnetic and magneto-optical properties was studied in Pt-3(Co1-chiNichi) (chi = 0.4) alloy films with a Curie temperature T-c of 200 degreesC. The experimental data indicated tha t 20 Pa was the most suitable Ar pressure for obtaining 100% remanence, hig h coercivity and the largest Kerr rotation angle theta (kappa) (0.435 degre es) during the blue-wave range. X-Ray studies showed that the < 111 > textu re was not the source of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the studied f ilms. Atomic force microscopy results showed that the average roughness of the films may greatly affect the saturated magnetization and, consequently, affect the shape anisotropy. The incremental inclination of H-c could be e xplained by the extended Kronmuller formula in the range of Ar pressures fr om 3 to 20 Pa. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.