Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co/Pt multilayers studied from a view point of anisotropy of magnetic Compton profiles

Abstract

Magnetic Compton profiles (MCPs) of Co/Pt multilayers have been measured from a view point of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). The PMA and the MCPs are discussed in the present Co/Pt results together with the previous Co/Pd results. The anisotropies of the MCPs have been decomposed into each magnetic quantum number |m| =0, 1, and 2. The decomposition analysis has suggested that the |m| =1 state contributes to the PMA when the multilayer films change in-plane magnetic anisotropy to the PMA, and that the |m| =2 state contributes to the PMA when the multilayer films have large PMA energy. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.