The interface roughness of thermally grown giant magnetoresistance (GMR) mu
ltilayers was investigated with nanometer depth scale by Rutherford backsca
ttering spectroscopy (RBS) using a high-resolution magnetic spectrograph. C
o/Cu multilayers were prepared by electron beam evaporation under ultra-hig
h vacuum conditions in an MBE system. The samples were measured by RES unde
r several scattering angles to obtain the concentration depth profiles. Ion
beam mixing effects deduced from the experimental data and theoretical mod
els were used to unfold the experimental spectra, giving the initial interf
ace roughness. It is shown that the interface roughness, comparable to the
amount of surface roughness. is probably not responsible for the extremely
weak GMR effect. found in this type of samples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B
.V. All rights reserved.