Pseudobinary SmCo7-xCux intermetallic compound films with a TbCu7-type structure were prepared by sputtered (SmCo7/Cu)(n) multilayer. After annealing, the spacer layer Cu (0.5-1.5 nm) diffused into the SmCo7 matrix and stabilized the SmCo7 meta-stable phase. The resulting microstructure was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Perpendicular anisotropy was obtained by introducing a Cu/Ti dual underlayer during sputtering, resulting in prefer-orientated SmCo7 (00L) X-ray diffraction peaks. This study observes a maze-like domain pattern in perpendicular anisotropy films and finds single- and multi-domain particles in correlated AFM and MFM images. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.