LAUSR

The effect of structural properties on the formation of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co/Dy superlattices has been studied. The superlattices are found to be composition-modulated alloys in which, on the one hand, a rigid periodicity in thicknesses and compositions takes place and, on the other hand, the interdiffusion of Co and Dy at interlayer boundaries leads to a periodic change in the Co and Dy concentrations with depth. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co/Dy is shown to be due to the perpendicular orientation of the magnetization in CoDy alloy layers, while the magnetization of Co layers is oriented in the sample plane.