Magnetic hysteresis characteristics in Fe-SiO/sub 2/ multilayered films

The crystallinity and magnetic properties of Fe-SiO/sub 2/ multilayered films are examined in the range of 7-300 AA Fe layer thickness, d/sub Fe/, and 2-250 AA SiO/sub 2/ layer thickness, d(SiO/sub 2/). The saturation magnetization decreases steeply with d/sub Fe/ below 30 AA for films with d(SiO/sub 2/)>or=6.3 AA owing to the change in crystallinity of the Fe layers. When d(SiO/sub 2/) decreases, the magnetic hysteresis loop changes from one characteristic of in-plane magnetization to one characteristic of perpendicular magnetization as a result of the induced perpendicular anisotropy, K/sub u/. The change in K/sub u/ is explained by the variation of the magnetostatic energy stored in the layer boundaries.<
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