Luo, F., Fu, X. L., Winkelmann, A., Przybylski, M.
Tuning the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in tetragonally distorted FexCo1−x alloy films on Rh(001) by varying the alloy composition
Applied Physics Letters 91, (26),pp 262512/1-3 (2007)
Tetragonally distorted FexCo1−x alloy films are grown on Rh (001) showing a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in a wide thickness and composition range. This large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is chemical composition dependent and reaches a maximum at x=0.4. For this composition, we observed an out-of-plane easy axis of magnetization at room temperature with film thickness up to 15 ML. Our experiments show that the proper adjustment of the Fermi level (EF) by the variation of the FexCo1−x alloy composition and the corresponding tetragonal distortion results in a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.