Electrodeposition of magnetic multilayers

In this contribution, results obtained in a BRITE-EURAM project on the electrodeposition of composition-modulated alloys (CMM) are presented. Electrodeposited Go-rich Co-Pt-P, natural, very thin multilayers are studied as possible substitutes of Go-based sputtered magnetic recording media, for their easy production? high magnetisation and coercivity. The effects of hypophosphite addition to the electrolyte on its electrochemical behaviour and on the magnetic characteristics of the films are reported. Magnetic coercivity is strongly increased when hypophosphite is added, but the improvements are not simply related to the P content of the alloy. Co-Pt-P films maintain a high coercivity (>2 kOe) even at high thicknesses, showing the possibility of their application in microelectromechanical structures. The interaction occurring between Co and Pr is shown by ESCA measurements of the density of states in the valence-band region. The stability of the CMM structure is studied for multilayers of Cu and Ni as a function of time and temperature fr om the saturation magnetic moment change, determining the diffusion coefficient Variation with temperature for the formation of non-magnetic interfaces. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.