Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and intralayer interactions in a single layer of CoPt nanoparticles

The multilayer films [Al2O3/tCo Co/tPt Pt]N, produced by sequential deposition of Co and Pt on alumina consist in layers of CoPt alloyed nanoparticles. They show perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) below a freezing temperature Tf, an asperomagnetic-like phase below that temperature, and hard ferromagnetic ordering below a transition temperature T1 < Tf. A single layer granular film (N = 1) with deposition thicknesses tCo=0.7 nm, tPt=1.5 nm and particle diameter of 3 nm is presently studied. SQUID magnetometry shows that a single layer presents the three phases as well. Para-, aspero-and ferromagnetic phases are observed upon lowering the temperature, with transition temperatures Tf ≈ 375 K and T1 ≈ 200 K, respectively. In addition, the PMA persists, proving that there is no interlayer coupling in the multilayer system. SQUID results also reveal a core-shell structure in the CoPt nanoparticles.