Effect of annealing on atomic diffusion and magnetic properties in antiferromagnetically coupled FePd/Ru/CoFe thin film

Abstract

       In this Work, the antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) of FePd/Ru/CoFe trilayer thin film was studied. The influence of interlayer atomic diffusion and magnetic properties of FePd layer on AFC behavior was investigated by isochronal annealing. From the result, the AFC interaction between ferromagnetic FePd and CoFe layer exhibited in the as prepared sample. The AFC coupling strength constant (J) decreased from  -0.44 to -0.24 mJ/m² with increasing of annealing temperature from room temperature to 460 ?C.  At 540 ?C, the decay of AFC interaction was occurred and changed to ferromagnetic coupling (FC) interaction because coercivity in FePd layer was increased.  The diffusion of atoms at the interlayer was observed by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). It was found that the FePd/Ru/CoFe film after annealing process showed a few atomic interlayer diffusion with no influence on the AFC behavior.