Temperature dependence of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co/Au and Co/Pt multilayers

Abstract Temperature dependences of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and saturation magnetization in Co/Au and Co/Pt multilayer films prepared by rf sputtering method were investigated. The saturation magnetization, M s of the Co/Pt multilayer films is larger than M s of bulk Co at low temperatures. Enhancement of M s is not observed in Co/Au multilayer films. The magnetic anisotropy energy, K ⊥eff , of Co/Au multilayer films increases greatly with decreasing temperature. The K ⊥eff at 5 K is four times as large as that at room temperature in the Co(4 A)/Au(29.5 A) multilayer film. While K ⊥eff in the Co/Pt multilayer films decreases with decreasing temperature.