GIANT MAGNETORESISTANCE AND INTERLAYER EXCHANGE COUPLING IN NI-CO CU MULTILAYER FILMS/

The oscillation of giant magnetoresistance and interlayer exchange cou pling as a function of Cu thickness was studied for Ni-Co/Cu multilaye r films prepared by magnetron sputtering onto a glass substrate. They had a fcc (111) preferred orientation parallel to the growth direction . Both the value of magnetoresistance ratio and interlayer exchange co upling strength increased with increasing Co content, which were in qu alitative agreement with theoretical calculations. The strength of exc hange coupling was proportional to the square of the saturation magnet ization.