Depth selective magnetization investigation in thermally reduced Co/Pd multilayers revealed by MCD study

The investigation focuses on the reduction of cobalt oxide-containing multilayers to metallic cobalt (Co) through a systematic thermal annealing process and the subsequent changes in the structural and magnetic properties. The reduced structures show a significant change in the electron density profile, confirming the reduction of cobalt oxide. After the reduction process, a significant increase in the overall magnetic moment of the system is observed, indicating a qualitative improvement in the magnetic properties. The reduced Co layer shows symmetry of magnetic orientation in the planar direction, indicating that the magnetic response under the application of an external magnetic field is unaffected by azimuthal angle. Moreover, the depth-resolved analysis of the Co layer revealed that there is a clear difference in the magnetic properties between the bulk and interface region of cobalt, revealing the subtle appearance of a depth-dependent magnetic profile. The presented findings illustrate that interface engineering is not only a powerful tool for controlling the magnetic functionality of multilayer structures but also enriches scientific understanding of the microscopic phenomena occurring at interfaces and surfaces. This study proves that desirable improvements in magnetic properties can be achieved by structural tuning, paving the way for future spintronic applications.