Rare earth (RE)–transition metal (TM) ferrimagnetic thin films have attracted significant interest for their broad range of functionalities associated with the reduced net magnetization. Here, we study the magnetic properties of Tb-based RE–TM ferrimagnetic [Tbx(FeCo)1−x] thin films. We find that the Tb concentration at which the magnetic moments of the RE- and TM- sublattices compensate increases with decreasing film thickness when the films are grown on Pt underlayers. For the thinnest TbFeCo films (1.5 nm-thick), the magnetic compensation is not observed at room temperature, suggesting that the Tb atoms do not contribute to the magnetization. In these thin films, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) increases when a thin Co layer is inserted, while it drops to zero when a thin Tb layer is inserted. Such contrasting behavior reveals that the PMA originates from the Pt/Co interface. The Tb concentration at which magnetic compensation occurs decreases when the underlayer is changed from Pt to Ta. We infer that Tb becomes magnetically inactive due to intermixing with the Pt underlayer, causing the reduction in PMA.
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10 January 2022
Research Article|
January 11 2022
Ferrimagnetic compensation and its thickness dependence in TbFeCo alloy thin films
Mio Ishibashi
;
Mio Ishibashi
a)
1
Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo
, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Kay Yakushiji
;
Kay Yakushiji
a)
2
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Masashi Kawaguchi
;
Masashi Kawaguchi
1
Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo
, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Arata Tsukamoto
;
Arata Tsukamoto
3
College of Science and Technology, Nihon University
, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8501, Japan
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Satoru Nakatsuji
;
Satoru Nakatsuji
1
Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo
, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
4
CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
5
Trans-scale Quantum Science Institute, University of Tokyo
, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
6
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University
, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
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Masamitsu Hayashi
Masamitsu Hayashi
1
Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo
, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
5
Trans-scale Quantum Science Institute, University of Tokyo
, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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Mio Ishibashi
1,a)
Kay Yakushiji
2,a)
Masashi Kawaguchi
1
Arata Tsukamoto
3
Satoru Nakatsuji
1,4,5,6
Masamitsu Hayashi
1,5
1
Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo
, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
2
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
3
College of Science and Technology, Nihon University
, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8501, Japan
4
CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
5
Trans-scale Quantum Science Institute, University of Tokyo
, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
6
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University
, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
Appl. Phys. Lett. 120, 022405 (2022)
Article history
Received:
November 16 2021
Accepted:
December 25 2021
Citation
Mio Ishibashi, Kay Yakushiji, Masashi Kawaguchi, Arata Tsukamoto, Satoru Nakatsuji, Masamitsu Hayashi; Ferrimagnetic compensation and its thickness dependence in TbFeCo alloy thin films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 10 January 2022; 120 (2): 022405. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0078873
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