Correlation between microstructure and magnetic properties of electrodeposited Co/Pt multilayers

Our purpose was to prepare by electrolysis Co/Pt multilayers and to study their magnetic properties in correlation with microstructure. Co/Pt multilayers with periods of (1.3–7.9) nm were electrodeposited on (1 0 0)-textured Cu foils with a 50 nm Pt buffer layer. Effective magnetic anisotropy and coercive field were found to depend on Co layer thickness (for a series of multilayers with 1 nm thickens of Pt layer). These films were characterized using atomic force microscope and X-ray diffraction techniques. Depending both on the periodicity of multilayer and the preparation conditions electrodeposited Co/Pt multilayers contain the fct, as well as the hcp and amorphous phase. The shape of the differential hysteresis loop (analyzed by fast Fourier transform technique) reflects peculiarities in switching properties of the magnetization in multilayers in the presence of interface anisotropy.