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The magneto-optical properties of one-dimensional magnetic grating structure of [Co.sub.2]MnSi film are examined. The longitudinal Kerr rotation of the first-order diffracted beam is enhanced when compared to that of the zeroth-order beam.

A method for fabricating nanopatterned media is investigated. The FePt samples with CoO underlayer exhibited a possibly strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and the intergranular exchange coupling of the samples is also investigated by using DeltaM method.

Alloy thin films phase when separated to Ni(sub 80)Fe(sub 20))(sub 1-x)Mn(sub x) and anneals at 400degreeC, although bulk Ni(sub 80)Fe(sub 20)) and Mn are miscible at room temperature. A strong crystallographic texture is developed during annealing especially for the films with high Mn content.

The thermal stability on the MnIr/NiFe exchange couple in the pinned electrode of a magnetic tunnel junction is analyzed using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and x-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS). The presence of the AlO(sub x) tunnel barrier, which promoted the preferential migration of Mn, appears to be cause of the massive migration of Ni through formation of vacancies in the MnIr lattice.

The Mn diffusion to the plasma-oxidized AlO(sub x) tunnel barrier in the magnetic tunnel junctions is explored using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). A thin films stack consisting of Ta/AlO(sub x)/Co/Fe/IrMn/NiFe/Ta is deposited with the AlO(sub x) layer treated under different plasma oxidation durations.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) were used to characterize low resistance tunneling junctions. RBS and TEM analyses also showed that the maximum temperature below which the electrode of an exchange-biased magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) can maintain its multilayer structure lie between 400 and 500 degrees C.