Tuning the magnetic anisotropy of ultrathin Fe/Ag(001) films from biaxial to uniaxial by ion sculpting

Ion sculpting of ultrathin Fe/Ag(001) films induces the self-assembled formation of nanometric surface ripples oriented along the ion beam direction and the corresponding onset of an in-plane uniaxial contribution to magnetic anisotropy. The authors show that fine tuning of the ion dose impinging on the film allows to tailor the in-plane magnetic anisotropy of such films from purely biaxial in the as-grown state to purely uniaxial. The magnitude of magnetic anisotropy in the pure uniaxial state can be tailored by varying the Fe film thickness prior to irradiation. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.