A correlation between the growth process and electrical properties of [Ni80Fe20(2 nm)/ Au(2 nm)/Co(0.8 nm)/Au(2 nm)]15 multilayers is presented. A set of multilayers of identical composition was deposited in different temperatures. The changes in giant magnetoresistance amplitude were correlated with the changes in Co layers growth process that occur in different temperatures. The in situ conductance measurement leads to the growth mechanism identification in high temperatures as formation of Co islands. Intensified islandisation of Co was eventually confirmed by the temperature changes in shape of the Hall voltage loops, and the evolution of Co layers contribution.
We review selected results concerning the interlayer exchange coupling in Fe/SixFe1−x , Fe/Ge and Co/Si layered structures. Among the ferromagnet/semiconductor systems, Fe/Si structures are the most popular owing to their strong antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling. We show that such interaction depends not only on semiconducting sublayer thickness, but also on deposition techniques and on the chemical composition of the sublayer as well. In similar heterostructures e.g. Fe/Ge, antiferromagnetic coupling was observed only in ion-beam deposited trilayers at low temperatures. In contrast, in Fe/Ge multilayers deposited by sputtering, no such coupling was found. However, when the Ge is partially substituted by Si, antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling appears. For Co/Si multilayers, we observed a very weak exchange coupling and its oscillatory behavior. The growth of Co on Si occurs in an island growth mode. The evolution of magnetic loop shapes can be successfully explained by the interplay between interlayer coupling and anisotropy terms.
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