FeCo/Cu and FeCo/Ru laminated structures by electrodeposition

Abstract

Studies were carried out on the laminated structures FeCo/Cu and FeCo/Ru prepared by two-bath plating, one-bath plating and plating-sputtering hybrid method. Zero remnant magnetization as in antiferromagnetically coupled structures made by sputtering was not achieved. A slow magnetization was observed for structures plated from two baths. A hypothesized mechanism was proposed, involving a superparamagnetic component due to the displacement and corrosion reactions. This effect is less prominent in the structures prepared with one bath plating. Lower magnetic moments were observed, probably due to the inclusion of Cu in FeCo layers as well as a displacement reaction. All the structures prepared by plating-sputtering method behave like a bulk ferromagnetic material. An increase and decrease of the magnetic moment was observed for FeCo/Cu and FeCo/Ru, respectively, probably due to the different effect on the corrosion reaction by Cu and Ru. copyright The Electrochemical Society.