GMR versus interfacial roughness induced from different buffers in (Co/Cu) ML

Diffusion and segregation of substrate copper in electrodeposited Ni–Fe thin films

“…For the Ni-Fe layers deposited on the Cu by sputtering method, copper was accumulated at the surface and a decrease in exchange bias field was observed [13]. In the Co/Cu multilayers deposited onto different buffers by evaporation, the Cu buffer showed lowest magnetoresistance sensitivity [15,16]. Study of surface segregation has introduced solutions to overcome this problem.…”

“…There are some reports on diffusion, segregation and accumulation of copper for thin films produced by vacuum deposition [12][13][14][15][16][17]. The presence of small amounts of the Cu inside the magnetic layer has a negative effect on magnetic properties [18,19].…”

Buffer effect on GMR in thin Co/Cu multilayers

“…Although Co/Cu MLs have been extensively investigated, some ambiguity still persists regarding the correlation between preferred orientation of MLs or interfacial roughness, and the antiferromagnetic indirect exchange (AF) coupling and GMR. It was reported that high GMR amplitude in Co/Cu MLs is connected either to (2 0 0) [4,5] or (1 1 1) and (2 0 0) [6] or (2 0 0) and (2 2 0) [7][8][9] preferred orientations. Furthermore, weak AF coupling was associated either with * Corresponding author.…”

“…poor [6,10] or strong [11] (1 1 1) texture. It was shown that high GMR is correlated to low interfacial roughness in polycrystalline Co/Cu(2 0 0) and Co/Cu(1 1 1) MLs [7][8][9] in contrast with the results obtained for epitaxially deposited Co/Cu(1 1 1) by Egelhoff and Kief [12]. To shed more light on the interdependence of structural and nanostructural properties with GMR, [Co(1.1 nm/Cu(0.9 nm)] ×25 were deposited on different buffer layers, namely Fe(bcc), Cr(bcc), Al(fcc), Ta(hcp), Co(hcp) and Cu(fcc).…”

Molecular dynamics simulation of thin film growth on giant magnetoresistance corrugated structures

“…It would appear, therefore, that the relationship between the GMR property and the structural properties, 14 including the interfacial roughness between Co/Cu multilayers, and the surface roughness of the Si substrate, has not yet been fully understood. 15 Different fabrication technologies that produce good quality film with a larger MR ratio on a Co/Cu multilayer structure have been suggested. These include ion-beam sputtering, 16 dc magnetron sputtering, 17 oblique deposition, 18 and vertical deposition 8 techniques.…”