Origin of Mixed Anisotropies in Si/fcc‐Permalloy and Si/a‐Cobalt Thin Films

Magnetic anisotropy plays a crucial role in deciding the static and dynamic behavior of magnetic thin films. It controls various phenomena, such as magnetization reversal, domain formation, domain‐wall motion, spin‐wave generation, and propagation, etc. We investigate mixed anisotropies in face‐centered‐cubic permalloy and amorphous cobalt thin films deposited via rf magnetron sputtering on a Si (100) substrate, with thicknesses d = 5–125 and t = 5–150 nm, respectively. X‐ray diffraction technique, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and magnetic force microscopy are employed to study the structural, morphological, and magnetic properties. We adopt a qualitative approach to understand the true nature of the mixed anisotropies for both materials, and the evolution of anisotropies with film thickness is quantified. The role of growth conditions in the emergence of specific anisotropies is discussed in detail. An alteration of the magnetization easy axis from the conventional in‐plane orientation is evidenced because of the collective influence of these mixed anisotropies. We categorize our samples into specific regimes. The formation of complex stripe domains is observed. The one‐to‐one comparison between sputter‐deposited crystalline and amorphous magnetic material may provide a stronger foundation for understanding technologically important, tilted anisotropies.