Structure and Magnetic Properties of Electrodeposited Cobalt/Platinum Multilayers

Abstract

Structure and magnetic properties of electrodeposited Co/Pt multilayers were studied as a function of Co-layer thickness. The multilayers were prepared by a dual cell technique under potential control. The structure of the multilayers was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The interface of the electrodeposited multilayers was mixed owing to electrochemical reactions, and there was no preferred orientation along the growth direction. The compositionally modulated structure was demonstrated by the Bragg peaks of low angle X-ray diffraction, but the quality of the interface was low. These Bragg peaks were not found in the specimens with Co-layer thickness less than 1 nm because of the interface alloying. The easy magnetization axis of these electrodeposited multilayers lay in plane, and no perpendicular anisotropy was observed. These results indicate that structure and magnetic properties are different from those prepared by physical vapor deposition (PVD).