Effect of the crystal structure and interlayer exchange coupling on the coercive force in Co/Cu/Co films

Co/Cu/Co/Si(111) trilayer films prepared by magnetron sputtering with different thicknesses of the Cu buffer were studied. The magnitude of the coercive force was shown to oscillate with variation of the nonmagnetic-buffer thickness. A good correlation between the saturation field and the coercive force was established. It was experimentally revealed that modification of the film structure by annealing within a broad temperature range affects the indirect exchange coupling between the Co layers. A qualitative analysis of the coercive-force behavior under variation of the strength and type of the ferromagnetic-layer coupling was performed.