Microstructure, Magnetic and Magnetoresistance Properties of Electrodeposited [Fe/Pt] Granular Multilayers

In this paper, we report experimental results concerning the magnetic properties and the magnetoresistance effect of [Fe/Pt]n and [Pt/Fe]n electrodeposited multilayers. Two series of multilayers starting with Pt and Fe layers, respectively, were grown onto glass substrate covered with electroless deposited amorphous Ni. We investigated the effect of the seed layer (Pt or Fe) and Pt layer thicknesses on the magnetic and magnetoresistance properties of electrodeposited multilayers. The structure and morphology of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The hysteresis loops of the [Fe/Pt]n and [Pt/Fe]n multilayers showed that the magnetic properties strongly depend on the Pt thickness and on the seed layer (the first layer deposited onto the glass substrate). [Fe/Pt]n and [Pt/Fe]n electrodeposited multilayers display magnetoresistance (∼15%) effect which can be explained mainly by the spin-dependent scattering of conduction electrons between Fe layers through a Pt layer and by the existence of anti-ferromagnetic coupling between subsequent Fe layers. The existence of a GMR effect in Fe/Pt multilayers is very promising for technological applications (e.g., magnetoresistance sensors).