title: Colloidal domain lithography in multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy: an experimental study and micromagnetic simulations.
abstract: Currently, much attention is being paid to patterned multilayer systems in which there exists a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, because of their potential applications in spintronics devices and in a new generation of magnetic storage media. To further improve their performance, different patterning techniques can be used, which render them suitable also for other applications. Here we show that He(+) 10 keV and Ar(+) 100 keV ion bombardment of (Ni(80)Fe(20)-2 nm/Au-2 nm/Co-0.6 nm/Au-2 nm)(10) multilayers through colloidal mask enables magnetic patterning of regularly arranged cylindrical magnetic domains, with perpendicular anisotropy, embedded in a non-ferromagnetic matrix or in a ferromagnetic matrix with magnetization oriented along the normal. These domains form an almost perfect two-dimensional hexagonal lattice with a submicron period and a large correlation length in a continuous and flat multilayer system. The magnetic anisotropy of these artificial domains remains unaffected by the magnetic patterning process, however the magnetization configuration of such a system depends on the magnetic properties of the matrix. The micromagnetic simulations were used to explain some of the features of the investigated patterned structures.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland. kuswik@ifmpan.poznan.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuświk
authors.forename: Iosif
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sveklo
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szymański
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urbaniak
authors.forename: Feliks
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stobiecki
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehresmann
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mazalski
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maziewski
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jagielski