Magnetic state of Nb(1-7nm)/Cu${}_{30}$Ni${}_{70}$(6nm) superlattices revealed by Polarized Neutron Reflectometry and SQUID magnetometry

Abstract

We report results of a magnetic characterization of [Cu${}_{30}$Ni${}_{70}$(6nm)]${}_{20}$ (x=1-7nm) superlattices using Polarized Neutron Reflectometry (PNR) and SQUID magnetometry. The study has shown that the magnetic moment of the structures growths almost linearly from H = 0 to H${}_{sat}$ = 1.3kOe which is an indirect evidence of antiferromagnetic (AF) coupling of the magnetic moments in neighbouring layers. PNR, however, did not detect any in-plane AF coupling. Taking into account the out-of-plane easy axis of the Cu${}_{30}$Ni${}_{70}$ layers, this may mean that only the out-of-plane component of the magnetic moments are AF coupled.

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