Magnetic properties of postoxidized Pt∕Co∕Al layers with perpendicular anisotropy

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Abstract
The magnetic properties of ultrathin Co layers sandwiched between Pt and Al layers are studied as a function of the Al layer oxidation time. The association of three batches of complementary experiments (extraordinary Hall effect, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and tunneling magnetoresistance) allows the authors to finely characterize their samples both magnetically and chemically. The authors show that their oxidation process reduces the coercive field of ultrathin Co layers with perpendicular anisotropy (case of short oxidation time) and can even induce transition from a ferromagnetic to a superparamagnetic state (lengthy oxidation time).