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Magnetic property and interlayer segregation in spin valve metal multilayers

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Abstract

The experimental results show that the exchange coupling field of NiFe/FeMn for Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for the spin valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta. In order to find out the reason, the composition and chemical states at the surfaces of Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm). Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(4nm) and Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) were studied using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that no elements from lower layers float out or segregate to the surface for the first and second samples. However, Cu atoms segregate to the surface of Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) multilayers, i. e. Cu atoms segregate to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers. We believe that the presence of Cu atoms at the interface of NiFe/FeMn is one of the important factors causing the exchange coupling field of Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers to be higher than that of Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, Beijing, China

    Guanghua Yu, Li Minghua & Zhu Fengwu

  2. Institute of Semiconductor, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100083, Beijing, China

    Chai Chunlin

  3. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100080, Beijing, China

    Jiang Hongwei & Lai Wuyan

Authors
  1. Guanghua Yu
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  2. Li Minghua
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  3. Zhu Fengwu
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  4. Chai Chunlin
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  5. Jiang Hongwei
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  6. Lai Wuyan
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Correspondence to Guanghua Yu.

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Yu, G., Minghua, L., Fengwu, Z. et al. Magnetic property and interlayer segregation in spin valve metal multilayers. Sci. China Ser. E-Technol. Sci. 45, 140–145 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1360/02ye9017

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1360/02ye9017

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