Abstract
It is known that a Co/Rh multiplayers system show strong interlayer exchange coupling and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. In this study, we fabricated two series of Co/Rh(111) multilayers: one with a wedge-shaped Rh layer and a Co layer of constant thickness, and the other with Rh layers constant thickness and wedge-shaped Co layers. The former were used for investigation of the interlayer coupling and the latter for investigation of magnetic perpendicular anisotropy. For the Rh wedged multilayers, spin flip was observed in the M-H curve, indicating the coexistence of anti-ferro magnetic coupling and perpendicular anisotropy. The Co wedged multilayers exhibited the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for Co layer thicknesses less than 12 Å. From the Co layer thickness dependence of the magnetic perpendicular anisotropy, we found that the perpendicular anisotropy of Co/Rh (111) can be dominated by the strain produced by lattice mismatch.
