DC getter sputtered amorphous GdCo films: Magnetic anisotropy and in-depth chemical concentration.

DC getter sputtering was used to deposit amorphous GdCo films. No bias voltage was applied to the substrates during the deposition. A uniform chemical composition throughout the depth of the film was observed using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. These GdCo films show perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, the magnetic anisotropy can be well described by a uniaial film whose easy axes are distributed within a range of 15C around the film plane normal.