INTERLAYER COUPLING ACROSS AN ALLOY SPACER - CO CU75AU25 MULTILAYERS/

The magnetic coupling in DC magnetron sputtered [Co 10 Angstrom/Cu75Au 25(t)](20) multilayers grown on Si(100) substrates, with the Cu75Au25 spacer thickness (t) ranging from 8 to 33 Angstrom, has been investiga ted by magnetoresistance and magnetic remanence measurements. Large ma gnetoresistance values were observed in this system, with a peak of th e order of 25% at 10 K for the Cu75Au25 spacer thickness t = 12 Angstr om. An oscillatory behaviour with a period of 8 +/- 1 Angstrom is exhi bited by the magnetic remanence and saturation magnetic held as a func tion of the Cu75Au25 thickness, attributed to the corresponding oscill ations in the interlayer magnetic coupling.