Thermal process effect on microstructure and magnetic properties of epitaxial FePd(001) multilayer films

Thermal process effect on the microstructure and magnetic characterizations of epitaxial FePd multilayer films grown on MgO(001) substrates via electron-beam deposition have been investigated. For the FePd films directly grown at 400 degrees C, the isolated island-like morphology was observed and displayed a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with a large coercivity of 8000 Oe. On the other hand, the FePd films grown at 100 degrees C and then post-annealed at 400 degrees C showed continuous film morphology and with a lower remanence corresponded to the alternate up and down orientations of the magnetization. The significant distinction in magnetic exhibition of the FePd films was due to the remarkable change in surface and magnetic domain structures caused by varied interfacial energy during different thermal processes.