Dependence of magnetoelastic anisotropy on Ni-sublayer thickness in Ni/Pd nanomultilayers

We have investigated the dependence of magnetoelastic anisotropy energy on the Ni-sublayer thickness in Ni/Pd nanomultilayers to examine the contribut ion of magnetoelastic anisotropy to perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) observed in Ni/Pd nanomultilayers. Magnetoelastic anisotropy energy was qu antitatively determined by delicate in situ stress and ex situ magnetostric tion coefficient measurements, It was found that the magnetoelastic anisotr opy for the samples prepared at 2-mTorr Ar sputtering pressure is largely d ependent on the Ni-sublayer thickness: the magnetoelastic anisotropy is var ied from 4.6 x 10(5) to -0.8 x 10(5) erg/cm(3). However the magnetoelastic anisotropy for the samples prepared at 7 mTorr is nearly constant with vary ing the Ni sublayer thickness: the magnetoelastic anisotropy of 3.5(+/-0.7) x 10(5) erg/cm(3) is observed, irrespective of the Ni-sublayer thickness.