FeNi-based magnetic layered nanostructures: Magnetic properties and giant magnetoimpedance

Magnetic properties and the magnetoimpedance (MI) effect were studied for a series of [Fe20Ni80/Ti](n)/Fe20Ni80 (n=0 to 5) nanostructures, prepared by dc magnetron sputtering. The thickness of the FeNi layers was selected as 170 nm in order to avoid the appearance of the "transcritical" state that takes place for thicker layers. First, the influence of the Ti layer thickness was determined for n=1 trilayers, with Ti layers ranging from 2 to 20 nm. The minimum coercivity corresponded to a Ti layer of about 6 nm. Second, the magnetic properties and MI responses were studied for different [FeNi/Ti](n)/FeNi structures at a fixed Ti layer thickness of 6 nm. The complex impedance was measured for a frequency range of 1-300 MHz. The highest value of the MI was obtained in the sample [FeNi/Ti](5)/FeNi with the largest total thickness. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3355473]