Investigation of magnetic anisotropy and role of underlayer in obliquely sputtered metallic thin films

Co and CoNi films have been obliquely sputtered on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with and without Cr underlayer. The spin-reorientation observed in films directly deposited on PET is related to the low magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Co (FCC) and change in microstructure from columns to elongated nuclei. Cr underlayer enhances magnetic anisotropy due to HCP structure of Co, which dominates the shape of columns. The double switching in Co/ Cr films grown at 70 is a consequence of low packing density of Cr columns of the underlayer.