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Magnetic Anisotropy in Electrodeposited CO Films and spin-valves on Gaas Substrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

K. Attenborough ,
M. Cerisier ,
H. Boeve ,
J. De Boeck ,
G. Borghs  and
J.-P. Celis
K. Attenborough
Affiliation:
Dept MTM, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, de Croylaan 2, B-3001 Leuven, BELGIUM.
M. Cerisier
Affiliation:
Dept MTM, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, de Croylaan 2, B-3001 Leuven, BELGIUM.
H. Boeve
Affiliation:
IMEC v.z.w., Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven. BELGIUM
J. De Boeck
Affiliation:
IMEC v.z.w., Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven. BELGIUM
G. Borghs
Affiliation:
IMEC v.z.w., Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven. BELGIUM
J.-P. Celis
Affiliation:
Dept MTM, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, de Croylaan 2, B-3001 Leuven, BELGIUM.
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Abstract

We have studied the magnetic and structural properties of thin electrodeposited Co and Cu layers grown directly onto (100) n-GaAs and have investigated the influence of a buffer layer. A dominant fourfold anisotropy with a uniaxial contribution is observed in 10 nm Co electrodeposited films on GaAs. An easy axis is observed in the [001] GaAs direction with two hard axes of differing coercivities parallel to the [011] and [011] directions. For thicker films the easy axes in the [001] direction becomes less pronounced and the fourfold anisotropy becomes less dominant. Co films of similar thicknesses deposited onto an electrodeposited Cu buffer layer were nearly isotropic. From X-ray diffraction 21 nm Co layers on GaAs were found to be hcp with the c-axis tending to be in the plane of the film. The anisotropy is ascribed to the Co/GaAs interface and is held responsible for the unique spin-valve properties seen recently in electrodeposited Co/Cu films.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 562: Symposium L – Polycrystalline Metal & Magnetic Thin Films , 1999 , 21
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

REFERENCES

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