Observation of magnetic dead layer in Ni/Pt multilayers

A magnetically dead layer in Ni/Pt multilayers was found for the samples of constant 3 Pt and less than 9 Ni sublayer thicknesses, prepared by sequential DC magnetron sputter deposition at an Ar sputtering pressure of 7 mTorr. Low angle X-ray diffraction peaks and cross-sectional TEM images revealed that this dead layer was due to interfacial effects rather than interface diffusion or mixing.