Magnetic reversal mechanism in strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropic CoPt/AlN multilayer film

Magnetic reversal mechanism of the Sub/AlN5 nm/[CoPt2 nm/AlN5 nm](5) nano multilayer film, which shows strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (K-u=6.7 x 10(6) erg/cm(3)), has been studied. The angle-dependent magnetic hysteresis loops of this highly perpendicular anisotropic CoPt/AlN multilayer film were measured in the present work, applying a magnetic field along different angles phi with respect to the film normal. It demonstrates that the magnetic reversal of the CoPt ultrathin layers in the CoPt/AlN multilayer film is occurred by the reversible magnetization rotation and the irreversible displacement of domain walls. The phi-dependent part of coercive field is resulted from the internal stress according to the Kondorsky and Kersten model. The phi-independent part of coercive field implies some random and isotropy pinning centers (e.g., vacancies, dislocations, grain boundaries) in the ultrathin CoPt layers. Our work is useful for coercivity control of metal/ceramics layered structures, in particular the perpendicular magnetic tunneling junctions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.