Magnetic and structural properties of electrodeposited copper-nickel microlayered alloys

Magnetic measurements of Ni-Cu compositionally alloys prepared by electrochemical deposition suggest a high degree of perfection is achieved. The magnetic behavior closely resembles that of bulk nickel and suggests little interdiffusion between the copper and the nickel. The high value of the saturation magnetization implies that no magnetic dead layer exists at the nickel/copper interface for wavelengths greater than 2.5 nm. A magnetic after effect has been found which increases with decreasing temperature and is a maximum at the coercive field. The electrochemical technique has progressed to the point where third order satellites are now commonly observed, suggesting a very square composition profile. Continuous layers of copper as thin as .2 nm have been produced.