Microstructure, Magnetic and Magnetoresistance Properties of Electrodeposited [Co/Zn]50 Multilayers

Abstract

In this work, we report experimental results concerning the giant magnetoresistance effect and the magnetic properties of [Co/Zn]n and [Zn/Co]n electrodeposited multilayers. Two series of multilayers starting with Co and Zn layers, respectively, were grown onto Cu (100) substrate under identical conditions. We investigated the effect of the seed layer (Co or Zn) and Zn layer’s thicknesses on the magnetic and magnetoresistant properties of electrodeposited multilayers. We found out that the magnetic anisotropy and the shape of the hysteresis cycle are strongly influenced by the multilayer features. The magnetic properties of the [Co/Zn]n and [Zn/Co]n strongly depend on the Zn thickness and on the seed layer (the first layer deposited onto the Cu substrate). The coercivity fields varied between (145 Oe–208 Oe) as a function of the Zn layer’s thicknesses. [Co/Zn]n and [Zn/Co]n electrodeposited multilayers display magnetoresistance (14%) effect which can be explained mainly by the exchange interaction among neighboring layers and by the spatially inhomogeneous magnetic structure of the nanostructured multilayer; in addition, the thickness of the Zn interlayer has an important role on the transportation and diffusion processes.