Ultrathin Co/Pt and Co/Pd multilayered films as magneto-optical recording materials

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Abstract
Co/Pt and Co/Pd multilayered films were prepared by two‐source dc magnetron sputtering. The multilayers with thin Co layers, one to three atoms thick, exhibited a perfect squareness of Kerr loop and an enhancement of Kerr rotation when the total film thickness became below several hundred angstroms. These ultrathin films have a high Kerr rotation of 0.2°–0.45° and strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy even in the very thin‐film thickness. The figure of merit of the ultrathin Co/Pt films is superior to that of TbFeCo system at 780 nm and becomes larger at shorter wavelength. The ultrathin multilayers possess very high corrosion resistance, and the layered structure is thermally stable up to 400 °C. Consequently, the ultrathin Co/Pt and Co/Pd multilayered films can be new magneto‐optical recording materials, especially for higher density recording using a shorter wavelength laser.