Structural, magnetic and transport properties of antiferromagnetically coupled Co/Cu multilayers

Structural, magnetic, and transport properties of (Co17 As /Cu21 As )]20 multilayers grown by RF sputtering on Si were studied. Samples deposited on a Fe bu!er layer present a regular stacking of Co and Cu layers together with a pronounced giant magnetoresistance (GMR) e!ect which accounts for an appreciable antiferromagnetic (AF) coupling among Co layers. Heat treatment was found to have a complex e!ect on GMR while it left the saturation magnetization unchanged. The e!ect of annealing on magnetic and elastic properties was analyzed by Brillouin light scattering (BLS). An increase of the e!ective magnetization, as well as an increase of the surface acoustic wave velocity, approaching the value expected for an ideal multilayer, were observed