Texture and residual stress in FeMn/Ni80Fe20 multilayers

The texture and residual stress in FeMn/Ni80Fe20 multilayers were studied using conventional sin2ψ method. The results show that the FeMn and Ni80Fe20 layers are both (111) textured. The sin2ψ plots are nonlinear, which indicates a strong residual stress gradient through the depth of the sample. Fitting of the sin2ψ plots give the residual stress in the samples. The in-plane residual stress is tensile and decreases from the surface of the sample to the substrate. The out-of-plane residual stress cannot be neglected because of the strong texture. In the two samples with the same total thickness but different periods, the FeMn layers have the same texture and residuals stress; while for Ni80Fe20 layer, as the thickness of each period increases, the texture becomes stronger and the residual stress becomes larger. It appears that the in-plane residual stress increases as the texture becomes stronger.