Role of crystallographic structure on magnetization reversal of (101̄0) and (112̄0) textured thin film media

Holloway, L.; Laidler, H.; Telling, N. D.; Wu, S. Z.

Abstract

In this study we examine the role of crystallographic structure on the magnetization reversal of two CoCrPtTa thin films grown on different underlayers which provide either a [112̄0] or a [101̄0] preferred orientation. We report synchrotron x-ray measurements and find that the stacking fault density in a CoCrPtTa thin film with a (101̄0) texture is greater than that in a sample having the (112̄0) bicrystal texture (13% compared to 8%). However, we also find that the degree of in-plane texture is poorer in the (101̄0) film. We report extensive magnetic measurements on the two films and find that increased switching at low fields correlates well with the observed level of fcc-like regions. In particular we show that a significant increase in magnetic viscosity at low fields in the (101̄0) film is most probably due to the increased level of low anisotropy fcc-like regions of Co formed by the stacking faults rather than small grains or poor texture. This is supported to some extent by the bimodal behavior observed in the activation volumes for the [101̄0] film, one peak being observed as expected around the coercivity (∼3 kOe) and another at a much lower field (∼1.2 kOe).

Citation

Holloway, L., Laidler, H., Telling, N. D., & Wu, S. Z. (2001). Role of crystallographic structure on magnetization reversal of (101̄0) and (112̄0) textured thin film media. Journal of Applied Physics, 90(8), 4056-4062. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1400101

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Oct 15, 2001
• Publication Date: Oct 15, 2001
• Deposit Date: May 16, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Applied Physics
• Print ISSN: 0021-8979
• Electronic ISSN: 1089-7550
• Publisher: AIP Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 90
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 4056-4062
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1400101
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/828812