Stabilization and tuning of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in room-temperature ferromagnetic transparent CeO2 films

Abstract

The development of multifunctional materials that combine optical transparency to room-temperature magnetism is still a great challenge. Here, we present an investigation on the room-temperature ferromagnetism of ceria (CeO 2) nanocrystalline films integrated to cobalt and platinum multilayered films (Co/Pt-ML) with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). The magnetic coupling between Co/Pt-ML and CeO 2 films spaced by Pt interlayers with different thicknesses (from 3 nm to 20 nm) enable stabilization and tuning of PMA along with the stacking at remanence. CeO 2 films on the Co/Pt-ML films exhibit domain structures consisting of nonconnected labyrinthine patterns dominated by protruding fingers similar to that of individual Co/Pt-ML films. Our present results demonstrate that the PMA of Co/Pt-ML films can be used to exploit the room-temperature ferromagnetism of transparent CeO 2 films and their multifunctionalities for emerging transparent electronics and spintronics such as high-density magnetic devices.