title: Assessment of Layer Thickness and Interface Quality in CoP Electrodeposited Multilayers.
abstract: The magnetic properties of CoP electrodeposited alloys can be easily controlled by layering the alloys and modulating the P content of the different layers by using pulse plating in the electrodeposition process. However, because of its amorphous nature, the study of the interface quality, which is a limitation for the optimization of the soft magnetic properties of these alloys, becomes a complex task. In this work, we use Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) to determine that electrodeposited Co0.74P0.26/Co0.83P0.17 amorphous multilayers with layers down to 20 nm-thick are composed by well-defined layers with interfacial roughness below 3 nm. We have also determined, using magnetostriction measurements, that 4 nm is the lower limitation for the layer thickness. Below this thickness, the layers are mixed and the magnetic behavior of the multilayered films is similar to that shown by single layers, thus going from in-plane to out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy. Therefore, these results establish the range in which the magnetic properties of these alloys can be controlled by layering.
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza , Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.|Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza , Mariano Esquillor, Edicio I+D, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Sistemas Optoelectrónicos y Microtecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciudad
authors.affiliation: Dept. Fisica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid , 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plaza
authors.affiliation: Dept. Física de Materiales, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Sistemas Optoelectrónicos y Microtecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aroca
authors.affiliation: Dept. Física de Materiales, Universidad Complutense de Madrid , 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez
keywords: CoP; RBS; amorphous multilayers; electrodeposition; magnetostriction