First-principles calculation of the magnetic anisotropy energy of (Co)n/(X)mmultilayers

Abstract

The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies of (Co${)}_1$/(X${)}_2$, (Co${)}_1$/(X${)}_5$, and (Co${)}_{\mathit{n}}$/(Pd${)}_{\mathit{m}}$ multilayers, where X=Cu and Ag and n+m=3 or 6, have been calculated from first principles by means of the linear muffin-tin orbitals (LMTO) method in the atomic-spheres approximation using the local-spin-density approximation. The easy axes of the multilayers considered are found to be perpendicular to the multilayer plane. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy is calculated to be largest for (Co${)}_1$/(Pd${)}_2$ and decreases with increasing Co thickness. These predictions are in agreement with experiment.