Strain-induced magnetoresistance and magnetic anisotropy properties of Co/Cu multilayers

Abstract

[Co (t Co) nm/Cu 1.5 nm] 50 multilayers were grown onto 15-nm Cupolyimide buffer layers. The relationship between stress, σ, and strain, ε, for the [Co 1.0 nm/Cu 1.5 nm] 50 multilayers has been presented. The effects of induced strain on the magnetoresistance (MR) and magnetic anisotropy have been examined. The [Co 1.0 nm/Cu 1.5 nm] 50 multilayer exhibited a maximum MR ratio of 3.4 at a Co layer thickness of 1.0 nm, β of 0.1, and a strain of 1.5%. The multilayers exhibited a remarkable magnetic anisotropy with the easy axis of magnetization always lying in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the induced strain. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.