On the origin of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in strained Fe-Co(-X) films

TL;DR

This study critically analyzes the origins of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in strained Fe-Co(-X) films, highlighting the dominant role of surface effects over elastic strain and interface contributions, with implications for designing high-anisotropy, rare-earth free magnetic materials.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive experimental and theoretical analysis showing surface anisotropy dominates over elastic effects in strained Fe-Co(-X) films, suggesting oxide interfaces as a key to high anisotropy.

Findings

Surface anisotropy exceeds interface anisotropy by over three times.

Lattice parameter of buffer layers has negligible influence on anisotropy.

Strong perpendicular anisotropy originates from oxide-free surface deviations.

Abstract

Very high magnetic anisotropies have been theoretically predicted for strained Fe-Co(-X) and indeed several experiments on epitaxial thin films seemed to confirm strain induced anisotropy enhancement. This study presents a critical analysis of the different contributions to perpendicular anisotropy: volume, interface and surface anisotropies. Tracing these contributions, thickness series of single layer films as well as multilayers with Au-Cu buffers/interlayers of different lattice parameters have been prepared. The analysis of their magnetic anisotropy reveals a negligible influence of the lattice parameter of the buffer. Electronic effects, originating from both, the Au-Cu interface and the film surface, outrange the elastic effects. Surface anisotropy, however, exceeds the interface anisotropy by more than a factor of three. A comparison with results from Density Functional Theory suggests, that the experimentally observed strong perpendicular surface anisotropy originates from a deviation from an ideal oxide-free surface. Accordingly, tailored Fe-Co-X/oxide interfaces may open a route towards high anisotropy in rare-earth free materials.