Characterization of electrodeposited magnetic nanostructures

Electrodeposition will prove to be a promising candidate for the preparation of magnetic nanostructures. Multilayered FCC Co/Pt and CoNi/Pt nanostructures grown on a Cu (1 1 1) substrate by electrodeposition under potential control, respectively, exhibit a remanent perpendicular magnetization and a large coercivity, which depend on the deposition overpotential and hence the multilayer growth mechanism. Giant magnetoresistance and oscillatory antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling have been observed in an FCC (1 1 1) textured Co/Cu multilayered nanostructure. Moreover, a large saturation magnetoresistance of more than 20% has been achieved at room temperature for a heterogeneous Co–Cu alloy, which consists of ultrafine FCC Co-rich clusters in a nonmagnetic Cu matrix.