Leland Stanford Junior University

Gerardo A Bertero

Robert Sinclair

A [(Pt/Co/Pt)/Pd] multilayer thin film (40) provides improved perpendicular anisotropy and magnetic coercivity relative to Pt/Co multilayer thin films (10) without reducing the Kerr rotations provided by the component Pt/Co layers (44, 48, 46). [(Pt/Co/Pt)/Pd] multilayer thin films (40) comprise a substrate (26), an optional underlayer (110) including a crystallographically textured layer (114) of Pt and a crystallographically textured layer (116) of Pd, and several quadlayers (42) of Pt, Co, and Pd forming a periodic array (43) in the direction of the normal to the substrate (26). Each quadlayer (42) of the periodic array (43) typically comprises a first layer (44) of Pt atoms approximately one to two atomic monolayers thick, a layer (46) of Co between one and three atomic monolayers thick, a second layer (48) of Pt of substantially the same thickness as the first layer (44) of Pt, and a layer (50) of Pd that is at least as thick as the Pt layers.

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Stanford, CA, United States of America

Gerardo A Bertero