Magnetoresistance of layered structures with alternating in-plane and perpendicular anisotropies

The magnetic properties of (Ni83Fe17/Au/Co/Au) multilayers with different thickness of Au (0.5less than or equal tot(Au)less than or equal to3 nm) and Co (0.2 less than or equal to t(Co). less than or equal to 1.5 nm) layers were characterized. For t(Au) greater than or equal to 1.5 nm independent magnetization reversal of Ni-Fe and Co was found. Increase of t(Co). for (Ni83Fe17-2nm/Au-3nm/Co-t(Co)/Au-3nm)15 multilayers results in a sequence of transformations in the magnetic properties due to changes in Co microstructure: from superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic clusters at t(Co) approximate to 0.3 nm, from discontinuous to continuous layers at t(Co) approximate to 0.6 nm and from perpendicular to in-plane anisotropy at t(Co) approximate to 1.2 nm. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.