TY - JOUR
T1 - Interdiffusion in epitaxial ultrathin Co2FeAl/MgO heterostructures with interface-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
AU - Wen, Zhenchao
AU - Hadorn, Jason Paul
AU - Okabayashi, Jun
AU - Sukegawa, Hiroaki
AU - Ohkubo, Tadakatsu
AU - Inomata, Koichiro
AU - Mitani, Seiji
AU - Hono, Kazuhiro
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.
PY - 2017/1
Y1 - 2017/1
N2 - The interfacial atomic structure of epitaxial ultrathin Co2FeAl/MgO(001) heterostructures, which is related to the interface-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), was investigated using scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Al atoms from the Co2FeAl layer significantly interdiffused into MgO, forming an Al-deficient Co-Fe-Al/Mg-Al-O structure near the Co2FeAl/MgO interface. This atomic replacement may have enhanced the PMA, which is consistent with the observed large perpendicular orbital magnetic moments of Fe atoms at the interface. This work suggests that control of interdiffusion at ferromagnet/barrier interfaces is critical for designing an interface-induced PMA system.
AB - The interfacial atomic structure of epitaxial ultrathin Co2FeAl/MgO(001) heterostructures, which is related to the interface-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), was investigated using scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Al atoms from the Co2FeAl layer significantly interdiffused into MgO, forming an Al-deficient Co-Fe-Al/Mg-Al-O structure near the Co2FeAl/MgO interface. This atomic replacement may have enhanced the PMA, which is consistent with the observed large perpendicular orbital magnetic moments of Fe atoms at the interface. This work suggests that control of interdiffusion at ferromagnet/barrier interfaces is critical for designing an interface-induced PMA system.
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U2 - 10.7567/APEX.10.013003
DO - 10.7567/APEX.10.013003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85009128826
VL - 10
JO - Applied Physics Express
JF - Applied Physics Express
SN - 1882-0778
IS - 1
M1 - 013003
ER -