Electrochemical deposition of magnetic multilayers under the effect of a superimposed magnetic field }

M. Uhlemann¹ - M. Herrich¹ - A. Krause¹ - A. Gebert¹ - L. Schultz¹ - A. Cziraki²

¹ Leibnitz Institute of Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
² Eötvös University, H-1518 Budapest, Hungary

Abstract
Co/Cu multilayers were electrodeposited by means of the potentiostatic double pulse technique from a citrate electrolyte on silicon substrates with a Py/Cu seedlayer by superimposing magnetic fields with different strength and orientation. Independent on the orientation of the magnetic field, an increase of the Cu deposition rate was observed due to magnetohydrodynamic effects, whereas the Co deposition rate decreases. Microstructural investigations have revealed that both the superimposed homogeneous magnetic field up to 600 mT and the magnetic field of permanent magnets with a non-uniform field distribution change the microstructure and improve the GMR effect. Tables 2, Figs 5, Refs 8.