Effects of Magnetic Layer Thickness on Magnetic Properties of CoCrPt/Ti/CoZr Perpendicular Media

Abstract

Change of magnetic properties in CoCrPt/Ti perpendicular media with varying CoCrPt film thickness has been studied. As the CoCrPt film thickness increases from 25 nm, the Ms (saturation magnetization) increases rapidly at first and then more gradually. This Ms behavior is associated primarily with the formation of an "amorphous-like"reacted layer created by intermixing of CoCrPt and Ti at the CoCrPt/Ti interface and secondarily with a change of the Cr segregation mode with varying CoCrPt film thickness. Magnetic domain structure distinctively changes with increasing CsCrPt magnetic layer (ML) thickness. Also the strength of exchange coupling measured from the slope in the demagnetizing region of the M-H loop changes with ML thickness. The expansion of lattice parameters a and c at smaller film thickness suggests that the Cr segregation mode may be connected with the residual stress of the films. Finally, the negative nucleation field (Hn) shows a unique behavior with the change of strength of the exchange interaction.teraction.