Magnetic phase diagram of Fe0.82Ni0.18/V(0 0 1) superlattices

Fe0.82Ni0.18/V(0 0 1) superlattices grown by DC magnetron sputtering on MgO(0 0 1) substrates have been investigated using longitudinal MOKE, SQUID magnetometry and magnetoresistance measurements. The varying sign and strength of the interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) were identified in the thin layer region (0.4-2.4 nm) and a magnetic IEC phase diagram was deduced and analyzed in terms of density functional calculations. The maximum giant magnetoresistance effect was determined to be 2.5% at 21 K. The balance between the magnetic anisotropy and IEC was found to be significantly different from that of previously studied Fe/V superlattices, also causing a different dependence of both IEC strength and observed anisotropy on the magnetic layer thickness