HIGH-RESOLUTION TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY STUDIES OF SEEDED EPITAXIAL CO/PT SUPERLATTICES

In this paper we describe the results of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of MBE-grown Co/Pt superlattices. These studies were made on superlattices grown along the three major axes of Pt: [111], [110], [001], on Ag films grown on GaAs substrates. Cross-section, transmission electron micrographs of [3.2 angstrom Co-16.7 angstrom Pt]n superlattices reveal a high density of stacking faults on the (111) planes for [111] oriented superlattices. In addition, plane-view transmission electron diffraction patterns showed intense Bragg diffractions originating from a high density of steps and stacking faults in the superlattice. For the [110] and [001] oriented superlattices stacking faults were not observed. It is suggested that a combination of limited interdiffusion, partial ordering of the alloy and stacking faults may contribute to the perpendicular anisotropy observed for the [111] superlattices.