1. Tuning magnetic anisotropy in (001) oriented L1 0 (Fe 1-x Cu x ) 55 Pt 45 films Kai Liu, University of California-Davis, DMR 1008791 Meeting the demand for more data storage in smaller volumes means using materials made up of ever-smaller magnets, or nanomagnets. One promising material for a new generation of recording media is high magnetic anisotropy FePt in the face-centered tetragonal L1 0 phase. It has the ability to retain information even at extremely small sizes, against the adverse effects of thermal fluctuations. However, a key limiting factor has been the high annealing temperature necessary to achieve the L1 0 phase, which is incompatible with the rest of the manufacturing process. We have made a breakthrough in achieving (001)-orientated L1 0 (Fe 1-x Cu x ) 55 Pt 45 thin films (Figs. 1 & 2) using atomic-scale multilayer sputtering and rapid thermal annealing at 400°C for only 10s, which is a significantly reduced thermal cycle compared to earlier studies [Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 132406 (2013)]. The relatively convenient synthesis conditions, along with the tunable magnetic properties, make these materials highly desirable for future magnetic recording technologies. Work done in collaboration with National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan) and Seagate. Fig. 1: (a) Phase diagram for ternary alloy FeCuPt. (b) X-ray diffraction patterns for (001) (Fe 1-x Cu x ) 55 Pt 45 films where the at.% Cu is 0, 5, 11, and 22 from top to bottom, respectively. Fig. 2. AFM (top row) and MFM (bottom row) images for L1 0 ordered (Fe 1-x Cu x ) 55 Pt 45 films with (a, b) 0, (c, d) 8, and (e, f) 16 at.% Cu. The scale bar indicates 500nm.

2. (Left) UCD graduate student Edward Burks (highlighted) attending the IEEE Magnetics Society Summer School in Assisi, Italy, June 2013. (Right) Faculty speakers at the 2 nd UCD-NJU Workshop on Condensed Matter Physics in Nanjing, China, June 2013. Materials World Network Our work on FeCuPt was featured by Applied Physics Letters in its Research Highlights and Top Stories, and selected for an invited talk at the upcoming 2013 MMM Conference in Denver. PI’s graduate student Edward Burks selected & attended the 2013 IEEE Magnetics Society Summer School in Assisi, Italy Collaboration with NIST on neutron scattering, SEMPA, and HRTEM PI co-organized 2 nd UCD-NJU workshop on Condensed Matter Physics at Nanjing, China in June 2013 (~50 participants) PI co-organized Focus Sessions on Magnetic Nanostructures for the 2013 APS March Meeting PI served as a member of the Program Committee and Student Presentation Award Committee for the 2013 joint MMM-Intermag conference in Chicago, and met with students as expert member in the Meet the Experts event. PI co-hosted a visit by Chinese national media to the UC Davis Physics Dept. in Feb. 2013. Hosted REU students in the group and many lab tours for local high school and undergraduate students. Tuning magnetic anisotropy in (001) oriented L1 0 (Fe 1-x Cu x ) 55 Pt 45 films Kai Liu, University of California-Davis, DMR 1008791