Magnetoresistance of layered structures with alternating in-plane and perpendicular anisotropies

Abstract The magnetic properties of (Ni 83 Fe 17 /Au/Co/Au) multilayers with different thickness of Au (0.5⩽ t Au ⩽3 nm) and Co (0.2⩽ t Co ⩽1.5 nm) layers were characterized. For t Au ⩾1.5 nm independent magnetization reversal of Ni–Fe and Co was found. Increase of t Co for (Ni 83 Fe 17 -2 nm/Au-3 nm/Co- t Co /Au-3 nm) 15 multilayers results in a sequence of transformations in the magnetic properties due to changes in Co microstructure: from superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic clusters at t Co ≈0.3 nm, from discontinuous to continuous layers at t Co ≈0.6 nm and from perpendicular to in-plane anisotropy at t Co ≈1.2 nm.