Magnetic and transport properties of Py/Cr/Co/Cr sputtered films

Py/sub 150 /spl Aring///Cr/sub 70 /spl Aring///Co/sub 200 /spl Aring///Cr/sub 150 /spl Aring// sputtered films deposited on glass were studied by means of magneto-optical Kerr effect and planar Hall effect. The properties of these films are dominated by the Co layer which exhibits not only uniaxial in-plane anisotropy but, also a very hard magnetization component which is canted out of the film plane. A striking feature of tie angular dependence of hysteresis loops is the apparent loss of two-fold symmetry. Due to the out of plane magnetization, the Hall voltage signal comprises not only the planar Hall but also the ordinary and extraordinary Hall effect signals.