Magnetic anisotropy and structural characterization of Co/Pt superlattices grown along selected orientations by molecular-beam epitaxy

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Abstract
In this paper we report the molecular‐beam epitaxial growth of Co/Pt superlattices on epitaxial Ag films on GaAs substrates. The growth axis of the superlattice was selected by seeded epitaxy to be along either the [001], [110], or [111] axis of Pt. The magnetic properties of the superlattices depend on the orientation of the growth axis. In situ x‐ray photoelectron diffraction studies of the Co‐Pt interfaces during their formation reveals that they are not atomically abrupt for any of the orientations. We conclude that models for magnetic anisotropy of Co/Pt superlattices should be based on a combination of magnetocrystalline anisotropy and strain in compositionally mixed interfaces.