Magnetic anisotropy and layer-selective magnetometry of Cu/Co/Ni/Cu/Si (001)

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) up to 6.15±1.25 angstroms Co thickness is found for ferromagnetically coupled epitaxial Co/60 angstroms Ni/Cu/Si(0 0 1) structures. Polarized neutron reflection measurements on a Cu/9 angstroms Co/Ni/Cu(0 0 1) structure yield almost bulk like magnetic moments at room-temperature of 1.70±0.20 μB and 0.57±0.05 μB for Co and Ni, respectively. Magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements show that the uniaxial Co volume anisotropy is entirely attributed to the Co shape anisotropy due to an absence of strain in the Co film