Preparation of multilayered Co/Pd nanostructure films by electroplating and their magnetic properties

Multilayered fcc Co/Pd nanostructure films, prepared by electrodeposition on an electropolished polycrystalline copper substrate using a dual cell method, exhibit a remanent perpendicular magnetic anisotropy which depends on the Co film thickness. By decreasing the Co layer thickness and setting the Pd monolayer thickness as I nm, the remanent magnetic ratio (the ratio of the remanent magnetization perpendicular to the film plane in relation to that found on the plane of the film) became large and exceeded I for a Co layer thickness of about 0.4 nm, which indicates that the easy axis of magnetization of the multilayered film changed from a direction parallel to the film plane to a direction perpendicular to it at this Co film thickness. The magnetic behavior of the heat treated Co/Pd multilayered film was measured and discussed. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.