Growth, characterization and magnetoresistive study of electrodeposited Ni/Cu and Co–Ni/Cu multilayers

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of the structural and magnetoresistive effect of electrodeposited Ni/Cu and Ni–Co/Cu multilayers. The samples were grown under potentiostatic control (constant potential) on to (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) single crystal as well as (1 0 0)-textured polycrystalline Cu substrates. X-ray diffraction studies of the films indicates that all samples exactly follow their substrate textures and crystal orientation. Very intense (1 1 1) peaks and extremely weak (2 0 0) peaks were observed for multilayers grown on Cu(1 1 1) while very intense (2 0 0) peaks and extremely weak (1 1 1) peaks were observed for those grown on Cu(1 1 1) single-crystal substrates. Low-angle X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out using synchrotron radiation. Up to two orders of superlattice peak were observed. Magnetoresistive studies of the film indicates multilayers grown on Cu(1 0 0) show oscillatory gaint magnetroresisitance (GMR) while those grown on Cu(1 1 1) do not. The GMR values for Ni–Co/Cu are significantly higher than GMR for Ni/Cu multilayers.