Effects of perpendicular anisotropy on the interlayer coupling in perpendicularly magnetized [Pd/Co]/Cu/[Co/Pd] spin valves

Abstract

The effects of perpendicular anisotropy on the interlayer coupling in perpendicularly magnetized [Pd/Co]/Cu/[Co/Pd] spin valves have been explored. It was clearly confirmed that the perpendicular anisotropy of soft and hard [Co/Pd] multilayers plays a crucial role in determining the physical characteristics of perpendicular interlayer coupling in the [Pd/Co]/Cu/[Co/Pd] spin valves. In addition, theoretical calculations demonstrated that the behavior of experimentally observed perpendicular interlayer coupling dominantly followed a Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yoshida oscillation modified by including a physical parameter directly relevant to the angle deviation of soft or hard [Co/Pd] magnetizations from the perpendicular direction in the spin valves rather than a topologically induced interlayer coupling. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.