Magnetocrystalline anisotropy in FePd alloys studied using transverse X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

The structural and magnetic properties of Fe0.5Pd0.5 alloys have been corre lated using X-ray diffraction (XD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and transverse X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. (TXMCD) at the Pd L-2,L-3 ed ges. XD indicates that codeposition of Fe and Pd, at elevated temperatures (350 degreesC), results in a well-ordered L1(0) phase which exhibits perpen dicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). On the other hand, codeposition at room temperature results in a disordered phase with in-plane easy-axis of magnet ization. By codepositing at intermediate temperatures, a series of alloys h as been produced with varying degree of compositional order. The TXMCD resu lts show that increased compositional ordering leads to an increased orbita l moment anisotropy favouring PMA. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy resulting from the orbital anisotropy is compared to VSM results. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.