Magnetic interactions and thermal stability in CoSm thin films

We report a systematic experimental study of magnetic interactions and ther mal stability in very thin films of CoSm fabricated by DC magnetron sputter ing on glass substrates, CoSm/Cr films with CoSm thickness 6 to 14 nm yield high remanent coercivities Hcr < 3.8 kOe and low remanent moment thickness product, Mr<delta> < 0.44 memu/cm(2). The magnetic interactions are domina ted by exchange coupling, decreasing with increasing thickness, Thermal sta bility as measured by magnetic viscosity and dynamic coercivity decreases w ith film thickness, but according to current criteria, CoSm films of down t o a thickness of about 8 nm would be stable.