Comparison of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy of metallic thin films grown on vicinal [111] and [100] Si surfaces

Magnetic anisotropy of Co and NiFe thin films was investigated on 9 degree off Si(100) and 4 degree off Si(111) surfaces and compared. Both films showed in-plane uniaxial anisotropy on the two vicinal surfaces, but the directions of easy axis were so different that Co thin films showed the same easy axis on the two vicinal surfaces along the surface step direction, and NiFe thin films exhibited an easy axis along the steps on the 9 degree off Si(100) surfaces but perpendicular to the step direction in the film plane on 4 degree off Si(111) surfaces. From X-ray pole figure patterns, magnetoelastic effects rather than magnetocrystalline are thought to play a key role in the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy of Co and NiFe thin films on vicinal surfaces. Also, various R-H curves of NiFe/Cu/Co spin valves on the two vicinal surfaces are believed to increase the potential of vicinal substrates for industrial applications.