Contents

Preface

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical background
  2.1 the MO-effect
  2.2 Magnetic Anisotropy
  2.3 Rare Earth - Transition metal alloys
   2.3.1 Some Advantages of RE-TM

3. Experimental equipment
  3.1 Sputter deposition
   3.1.1 Sputter system
  3.2 VSM
  3.3 Torque magnetometer
   3.3.1 Estimation of Ku through Extrapolation to Infinite Field
  3.4 Kerr spectroscopy
  3.5 Kerr loop tracer
  3.6 AGFM
  3.7 XRD
  3.8 SPM
    3.8.1 AFM
   3.8.2 MFM

4. Experimental
  4.1 Deposition of Multilayers
    4.1.1 Argon Pressure Optimization
    4.1.2 Deposition Rate Calibration
    4.1.3 Multilayer Structure
  4.2 Measurements
  4.3 Disc Fabrication

5. Results and Discussion
  5.1 Magneto-optical properties
  5.2 Magnetic properties
    5.2.1 Coercivity versus tPd
    5.2.2 Hysteresis loops
    5.2.3 Temperature Dependence of the Coercivity
    5.2.4 Saturation Magnetization
    5.2.5 Magnetic Anisotropy
    5.2.6 Investigations of the Coercivity mechanism in TbFeCo/Pd multilayers
  5.3 Magneto-optical Recording Performance
    5.3.1 Recording
    5.3.2 Reading Power Dependence
    5.3.3 Erasing
    5.3.4 MFM and AFM Investigations

6. Conclusions

7. Acknowledgements

8. References

Appendix A   Abbreviations
Appendix B   Selected VSM plots
Appendix C   Selected Torque plots
Appendix D   Selected AGFM plots
Appendix E   Selected MFM and AFM images