Properties of electrodeposited CoFeNi/Cu superlattices: The effect of CoFeNi and Cu layers thicknesses

Abstract

CoFeNi/Cu superlattices were grown on Ti substrate by electrodeposition as a function of the ferromagnetic and non-magnetic layer thicknesses. In order to examine the effect of the Cu layer thickness on the film properties, the Cu layer thickness was changed from 0.5 to 6 nm, while the CoFeNi layer thickness was kept constant at 4 nm. Also, for the CoFeNi layer effect, the CoFeNi layer thickness was changed from 2 to 15 nm, while the Cu layer thickness was fixed at 4 nm. The structural analysis studied by X-ray diffraction indicated that the superlattices have face-centered-cubic structure. Magnetic characteristics were investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer. From the hysteresis curves, the coercivity and the saturation magnetization were determined. It was found that the easy-axis of the films is parallel to the film plane. Magnetoresistance measurements were made by the Van der Pauw method at the room temperature with magnetic fields up to +/- 12 kOe. All superlattices exhibited giant magnetoresistance (GMR). As the ferromagnetic layer thickness increased up to 4 nm, the GMR value increases up to 22 % and then decreases. The superlattices saturated at the lower magnetic layers with increasing ferromagnetic layer thickness. The maximum GMR value was obtained to be 22 % for a superlattice with 375[CoFeNi(4 nm)/Cu(4 nm)].