Stacking faults and their effect on magnetocrystalline anisotropy in Co and Co-alloy thin films

Stacking faults in (101~0) unicrystal Co and Co-alloy thin films have been analyzed by the electron diffraction technique. As predicted no diffraction contrast of stacking faults could be observed when the beam is parallel to the [101~0] direction. However, both by plan-view TEM observation and electron diffraction along the [112~0] direction reveal that the stacking fault density in biased pore Co (101~0) Bin films is much lower than that in unbiased ones. The addition of Cr in Co films significantly reduces stacking fault density whereas the addition of 8 at% Pt leads to a considerable increase in stacking fault density. Our results show that stacking faults in Co thin films significantly, and negatively, affect the anisotropy energy density and its temperature dependence.