Hall effect and magnetoresistance in magnetic multilayers with alternating in-plane and out-of-plane anisotropies

A direct comparison between the Hall effects and giant magnetoresistance of ferromagnetic multilayers of similar composition (Ni80Fe20/Au/Co/AU)(N) with alternating in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization direction of Co layers is presented. The characteristic features at magnetic field-dependence of giant magnetoresistance were correlated with the creation and annihilation of the stripe domains in Co layer, with perpendicular anisotropy. The nucleation field values were investigated as an Au layer thickness function. Furthermore, the in situ conductance measurement results characterised the island growth mode of the ferromagnetic layers. The percolation thicknesses were also indicated.