Magnetic domain and structural defects size in ultrathin films

Herein, a model is proposed for measuring the structural defects size r${}_0$ in an ultrathin magnetic layer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Based on the observations of magnetic domains in Ta/Pt/Co/Pt ultrathin films, using polar magneto-optical Kerr effect microscopy and measurements of their magnetic anisotropies, the correlation between magnetic domains size D and structural defects size r${}_0$, as well as the defects concentration parameter ${\alpha }_K$, which designates the degree of pinning, has been modeled. The average r${}_0$ value found is high in the sample with unannealed buffer layers and considerably decreases with annealing. It is 6.17 nm with unannealed Ta/Pt buffer layers, 1.06 nm in sample with Ta/Pt buffer layers annealed at 423 K, and 0.49 nm in that with buffer layers annealed at 573 K. The significant drop of r${}_0$ is in good agreement with the high depinning noted with buffer layers annealing in recent work. (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)