Superparamagnetic behavior in ultrathin CoNi layers of electrodeposited CoNi/Cu multilayer nanowires

We present evidence that in a very thin regime the magnetic layers become discrete islands and superparamagnetic in multilayered CoNi 1–17 nm /Cu 4.2 nm nanowires grown by pulsed electrodeposition using a hole pattern of anodized alumina templates. Magnetic hysteresis loops measured at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer show that superparamagnetism appears at t CoNi 1.7 nm, due to a volumetric reduction of the CoNi layers that may result in discontinuity of the layer or formation of islands. The magnetic hysteresis loops for the superparamagnetic nanowires can be represented by the Langevin function. The temperature dependence of coercivity data obtained for the superparamagnetic nanowires using a superconducting quantum interference device indicates that the magnetization reversal can be consistently explained by the Stoner-Walfarth model for coherent rotation. The volumetric reduction accounted for the observed superparamagnetism is probably due to an electrochemical exchange reaction between CoNi and Cu species at the interface during each Cu deposition cycle. The exchange reaction may cause partial dissolution of the CoNi layers at the interface which is eventually stabilized by cementation with Cu. The effects of the nucleation and growth process on the formation of superparamagnetic islands are also discussed. © 2006 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2206854