Structure and Magnetic Properties of Pd/Co Multilayered Films with Various Buffer Layers

Pd/Co multilayer films were prepared by rf sputtering, with a buffer layer of Pt, Pd, Cu or SiAlON between the multilayer film and the glass substrate. The type of buffer layer was found to have an effect on the structure as well as the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and coercive force of the multilayer film. A Pt buffer layer improves the layer structure and ≪111≫ orientation, as well as increasing the anisotropy, while SiAlON and Cu do not improve the layer structure but do increase the coercivity.