Abstract

Many advances in the characterization of roughness in artificially layered structures have grown out of interest in their x-ray optical properties. In the present work we apply these techniques to a different application of layered media: magnetic multilayers. Recent reports have shown that the antiferromagnetic order and giant magnetoresistance in layered magnetic materials are mediated by interface quality and roughness, and several reports claim layer roughness enhances giant magnetoresistance. The objective of the current work is to characterize interface roughness and correlate it to the magnetic properties in these materials. We have fabricated structurally distinct Fe/Cr layered structures and examined both the exchange coupling and electrical transport properties. We correlate this with quantitative measurements of the character and magnitude of the structural perturbations.

© 1992 Optical Society of America