Structural and magnetic properites of Xe ion irradiated Co/Si bilayers

Abstract

Polycrystalline cobalt layers, deposited on Si(110) wafers via electron beam evaporation to a thickness of 55 nm, were irradiated at room temperature with 200 keV Xe ions to fluences of up to 15 x10^15 ions/cm^2.The atomic and magnetic force microscopy (AFM and MFM) were used to investigate the changes in the roughness and magnetic properties of the Co/Si bilayers. Ion beam induced structural changes were correlated with magnetic properties.