PLD growth of CoPd thin films and characterization of their magnetic properties by magneto optical Kerr effect

Abstract CoPd alloy thin films with different thicknesses and Co/Pd ratios have been deposited on Si (100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The magnetic properties were investigated by using the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) in both longitudinal and polar geometries. The results show that the films with thickness in the range of 6–24 nm, deposited at a low substrate temperature of 200 °C, are mostly magnetized in the plane of film. Higher deposition temperature forces the magnetic easy axis to orient in the perpendicular direction of the films.