Asymmetric modification of the magnetic proximity effect in Pt/Co/Pt trilayers by the insertion of a Ta buffer layer

Abstract

The magnetic proximity effect in top and bottom Pt layers induced by Co in Ta/Pt/Co/Pt multilayers has been studied by interface-sensitive, element-specific x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity. The asymmetry ratio for circularly polarized x-rays of left and right helicity has been measured at the Pt $L_3$ absorption edge (11 567 eV) with an in-plane magnetic field ($\pm 158$ mT) to verify its magnetic origin. The proximity-induced magnetic moment in the bottom Pt layer decreases with the thickness of the Ta buffer layer. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction has been carried out to show that the Ta buffer layer induces the growth of Pt(011) rather than Pt(111), which in turn reduces the induced moment. A detailed density functional theory study shows that an adjacent Co layer induces more magnetic moments in Pt(111) than in Pt(011). The manipulation of the magnetism in Pt by the insertion of a Ta buffer layer provides a way to control the magnetic proximity effect, which is of huge importance in spin-transport experiments across similar kinds of interfaces.