Magnetic Properties of Compositionally Modulated Cu-Ni Thin Films

Abstract

The magnetic properties of modulated Cu-Ni films with Ni thickness ranging from 6 to 60 \AA{} and for various Cu thickness have been measured at room temperature, 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, and 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The results show that the magnetic properties do not depend on the Cu thickness but only on the surface to volume ratio of the Ni. The Ni behavior is interpreted in terms of a large surface anisotropy, and not in terms of an enhanced moment.