Magnetoimpedance effects in electrodepositing FeCoNi thin films directly on n-Si(100)

It is expected that integration of magnetic thin films onto semiconductors will allow novel applications such as spin-dependent electronics, magnetic storage and integrated sensors. But electrodeposition magnetic thin films onto semiconductors with a thin conducting layer will introduce an additional step in process and bring new problem of current shunting. In this paper, FeCoNi magnetic alloy has been electrochemically deposited directly onto n-Si(100) electrodes, and magnetoimpedance effects in these films are investigated. FeCoNi alloy films (∼1 μm) have been electrodeposited directly onto n-type Si (100) substrates under current control conditions. A magnetic field of ∼500 Oe was applied along the film plane during deposition to induce a uniaxial in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The morphology and magnetic properties of the as-deposited CoNiFe films were studied by AFM and VSM, respectively.