Perpendicular transport and magnetization processes in magnetic multilayers with strongly and weakly coupled magnetic layers

Within the framework of a two-band tight-binding model, we have performed calculations of giant magnetoresistance, exchange coupling and thermoelectric power (TEP) for a system consisting of three magnetic layers separated by two non-magnetic spacers with the first two magnetic layers strongly antiferromagnetically exchange-coupled. We have shown how does the GMR relate with the corresponding regions of magnetic structure phase diagrams and computed some relevant hysteresis loops, too. The GMR may take negative values for specific layers thicknesses, and the TEP reveals quite pronounced oscillations around a negative bias.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, submited to Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Material

Oscillatory Thickness Dependence of Magnetic Moments and interface-induced Changes of the Exchange Coupling in Co/Cu and Co-Ni/Cu Multilayers

We perform first-principles calculations for the three multilayer systems (100)-Co_1/Cu_n, -NiCo_2Ni/Cu_n and -Co_4/Cu_n, and find from a comparison x of the results for system 2 and 3 that amplitude and phase of the exchange coupling are sensitive to the magnetic-slab/nonmagnetic-spacer interface. Moreover, we observe that for the system 1 and 2 the averaged magnetic moment of the magnetic slab oscillates with the spacer thickness similarly as the exchange coupling.Comment: 5 pages (Latex, to be applied 2 times) + 2 figures (.ps-files

Spin transport in disordered single-wall carbon nanotubes contacted to ferromagnetic leads

Recent conductance measurements on multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reveal an effective behavior similar to disordered single-wall CNTs. This is due to the fact that electric current flows essentially through the outermost shell and is strongly influenced by inhomogeneous electrostatic potential coming from the inner tubes. Here, we present theoretical studies of spin-dependent transport through disorder-free double-wall CNTs as well as single-wall CNTs with Anderson-type disorder. The CNTs are end-contacted to ferromagnetic electrodes modelled as fcc (111) surfaces. Our results shed additional light on the giant magnetoresistance effect in CNTs. Some reported results concern realistically long CNTs, up to several hundred nanometers.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, presented at the European Conference PHYSICS OF MAGNETISM 2005, Poznan, Polan

First principles studies of modulated Co/Cu superlattices with strongly and weakly exchange biased Co-monolayers

First-principles calculations have been performed in order to determine effective exchange integrals between {\it strongly} and {\it weakly} exchange-coupled Co monolayers in certain modulated periodic $CoCu_2/CoCu_n$-type superlattices with three non-equivalent Co planes, which have not yet been studied hitherto. For $3\le n\le 6$ we find that the two non-equivalent exchange integrals have opposite signs, i.e.~the strong coupling is antiferromagnetic and the weak coupling ferromagnetic, and differ for $n\ne 4$ from each other by one order of magnitude. It is shown that the results depend on the system as a whole and could not be obtained from separate parts. Finally we suggest that ''spin valve'' systems of such kind should be considered when trying to obtain good magneto-resistance together with low switching-fields.Comment: LaTex, 9 pages, including two .eps-figure

Spin-polarized transport through carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) belong to the most promising new materials which can in the near future revolutionize the conventional electronics. When sandwiched between ferromagnetic electrodes, the CNT behaves like a spacer in conventional spin-valves, leading quite often to a considerable giant magneto-resistance effect (GMR). This paper is devoted to reviewing some topics related to electron correlations in CNT. The main attention however is directed to the following effects essential for electron transport through nanotubes: (i) nanotube/electrode coupling and (ii) inter-tube interactions.It is shown that these effects may account for some recent experimental reports on GMR, including those on negative (inverse) GMR.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

CPP- Giant Magnetoresistance and Thermo-Electric Power of multilayers

Oscillations of magnetoresistance and thermo-electric power (TEP) vs. both nonmagnetic spacer as well as ferromagnetic slab thicknesses are studied in the current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) geometry, in terms of a single-band tight-binding model. The spin-dependent conductance has been calculated from the Kubo formula by means of a recursion Green's function technique, and the $TEP$ directly from the well-known Onsager relations. In general, the observed oscillations may have either just one or two periods. In the latter case the long period of oscillations, related to spectacular beats, is apparently of non-RKKY type. The relative TEP oscillations are strongly enhanced in comparison with those of the giant magnetoresistance, have the same periods, but different phases and a negative bias.Comment: Latex (4 pages); 2 figures included; to appear in Proc. of 'Physics of Magn. 1996', Acta Physica Polonic