Room temperature CPP-giant magnetoresistance in Ni/Cu multilayered nanowires

Current-flow perpendicular to the layer planes giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) of Ni/Cu multilayered nanowires (NWs) grown by an alternating current (AC) pulsed electrodeposition technique into anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template with a pore diameter of 50 ± 5 nm is studied at room temperature. The method used for obtaining GMR percentage is the 2-probe resistance measurement of the contact of released and aligned NWs on a glass substrate in the presence of a magnetic field. The structure and thickness of layers are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), indicating the formation of well-ordered multilayers. The magnetic properties are studied by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and the first-order reversal curve (FORC) analysis. The maximum CPP-GMR of Ni/Cu multilayered NWs is obtained to be 2.6% for 17 and 2.7 nm thick Ni and Cu layers, respectively. The results show that Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) variation behavior of GMR values as a function of Cu spacer thickness is in accordance with theoretical models. •AC pulsed electrodeposition technique was used to grow Ni/Cu multilayer nanowires in AAO template.•By dropping released nanowires and making silver electrodes, electrical resistivity of nanowire arrays was measaured.•TEM and XRD analyses showed high-ordered growth of Ni/Cu multilayer nanowires.•VSM and FORC analyses showed oscillatory and reducing trends of magnetic behavior due to RKKY and magnetostatic coupling.•The maximum GMR of Ni/Cu multilayer nanowires was found to be 2.6%.