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)].
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by the Uludag University under Grant no. UAP(F)-2010/56, the authors would like to thank Balikesir University, Turkey under Grant no. BAP 2001/02 for MR system and under Grant no. 2005K120170 for VSM system. Thanks also go to Dr. H. Guler, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey for XRD measurements.
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Kalsen, S., Alper, M., Kockar, H. et al. Properties of Electrodeposited CoFeNi/Cu Superlattices: The Effect of CoFeNi and Cu Layers Thicknesses. J Supercond Nov Magn 26, 813–817 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-012-1912-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-012-1912-7