Element-specific hysteresis loops and the anisotropy of the orbital moment of Pt in Ni/Pt multilayers

Abstract Angular- and field-dependent X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements at Pt and Ni L 3,2 edges of a Ni 2 /Pt 2 multilayer with considerable perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are reported. The anisotropy of the orbital moment which is the microscopic origin of magnetic anisotropy energy is found, within the experimental accuracy, to be the same for Ni and Pt. Element-specific hysteresis loops show that Ni and Pt magnetic moments follow the same path during magnetization reversal. Both results suggest that the induced magnetic moment of Pt closely follows the behavior of the magnetic moment of Ni.