Magnetooptical, optical and GMR effect in Ni-Co/Cu multilayers

A series of RF sputtered NiCo/Cu multilayers was prepared and the correlati on of the interlayer coupling and magnetooptical Kerr effect (MOKE) was stu died. A concurrent oscillation of the magnetoresistance ratio and the maxim um Kerr rotation (theta(k)(2) + eta(k)(2))(1/2) with Cu layer thickness was observed. The oscillation of the Kerr rotation is attributed to changes in the band structure related to the antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling, l eading to changes in the optical and magnetooptical transitions. (C) 1999 P ublished by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.