Ion-beam modification of Co/Ag multilayers II: Variation of structural and magnetic properties with Co layer thickness

The structural, magnetic and transport properties of rf sputtered Co/Ag multilayers with Co-layer thicknesses ranging from 1 to 14 Angstrom have been studied by a combination of x-ray diffraction, magnetic and transport measurements. The magnetoresistance at room temperature has a maximum value of more than 12% for a Co-layer thickness around 5 Angstrom. Magnetic measurements demonstrate that samples near this Co-layer thickness are in the transition region from superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic behavior. X-ray analysis indicates that, during deposition, a significant quantity of Co is dispersed throughout a highly textured Ag matrix. Upon irradiation with 1 MeV Si+ ions up to a dose of 5x10(16) Si+/cm(2), an initial demixing of the Co is followed by segregation into grains with the same texture as the Ag. The resulting changes in the magnetization and magnetoresistance are characterized on the basis of a log-normal distribution of the volume of the magnetic particles. As the particle sizes increase, a systematic evolution towards ferromagnetic behavior for films initially in the superparamagnetic and transition regions results. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)08912-X].