Treatment of the semiclassical Boltzmann equation for magnetic multilayers

We present an analytical treatment of the Camley–Barnas´ theory of the giant magnetoresistance ~GMR! in magnetic layered structures and obtain an exact and general expression for the resistivity. We used this expression to evaluate the resistivity and GMR numerically, comparing the results with experimental observations

Treatment of the semiclassical Boltzmann equation for magnetic multilayers

We present an analytical treatment of the Camley–Barnas´ theory of the giant magnetoresistance ~GMR! in magnetic layered structures and obtain an exact and general expression for the resistivity. We used this expression to evaluate the resistivity and GMR numerically, comparing the results with experimental observations

Oscillatory interlayer exchange and magnetoresistance in Fe/Cu multilayers

We have studied the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of Fe/Cu mu1tilayers prepared by sputtering. We find oscillations of the inter1ayer coupling as a function of the Cu thickness with the same long period as in Co/Cu multilayers (around 12.5 Á). The most striking result is that the oscillations in Fe/Cu and Co/Cu have almost exactly opposite phases. A large magnetoresistance of the spin-valve type is observed in the half periods with antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange. However, the magnetoresistance in Fe/Cu is definitely smaller than in Co/Cu

Magnetoresistance in rf-sputtered(nife/cu/co/cu) spin-valve multilayers

A study of the vtiation of the magnetoresistancein (Ni80Fe20/Cu/Co/Cu) multilayers with the thicknesses tNiFe, tcO, and &;cu of each type of component layer has been performed. The magnetoresistance (MR), which at 4 .2 K is larger than 20% for many samples, has been measured for fields applied both parallel and perpendicular to the current. This allows a direct measurement of the anisotropic magnetorestistance as well as an estimate of the spin-valve contribution to the total MR. The dependence of the MR on tcu indicates the presence of an oscillatory interlayer exchange c.oupling through the Cu layers with a period of about 12 Å. The dependence of the MR on tNiFe and tcO was studied at tcu=50 Å, for which the coupling is negligible. In this limit, the variation of the MR is dominated by the thickness dependenceo f the NiFe and Co component layer coercivitie-s, which determine the degree of antiparallel alignement obtained during magnetization reversal

Interplay between oscillatory exchange coupling and coercivities in giant magnetoresistive [Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20/Cu/Co/Cu] multilayers

We have observed giant magnetoresistance in [Ni80Fe20/Cu/Co/Cu] multilayers with well-defined oscillations in magnitude as a function of the Cu layer thickness both at 300 and 4.2 K. The phase and period are found to be very similar to those previously measured in Co/Cu and, more recently, Ni81Fe19/Cu multilayers. However, the existence of a strong contrast in coercive fields between Ni80Fe20, and Co leads to a significant magnetoresistance for Cu layer thicknesses where coupling is zero or even moderately ferromagnetic. At room temperature, resistance changes as large as 7% are observed within a few tens of oersted of zero field

Magnetoresistance in rf-sputtered(nife/cu/co/cu) spin-valve multilayers

A study of the vtiation of the magnetoresistancein (Ni80Fe20/Cu/Co/Cu) multilayers with the thicknesses tNiFe, tcO, and &;cu of each type of component layer has been performed. The magnetoresistance (MR), which at 4 .2 K is larger than 20% for many samples, has been measured for fields applied both parallel and perpendicular to the current. This allows a direct measurement of the anisotropic magnetorestistance as well as an estimate of the spin-valve contribution to the total MR. The dependence of the MR on tcu indicates the presence of an oscillatory interlayer exchange c.oupling through the Cu layers with a period of about 12 Å. The dependence of the MR on tNiFe and tcO was studied at tcu=50 Å, for which the coupling is negligible. In this limit, the variation of the MR is dominated by the thickness dependenceo f the NiFe and Co component layer coercivitie-s, which determine the degree of antiparallel alignement obtained during magnetization reversal

Interplay between oscillatory exchange coupling and coercivities in giant magnetoresistive [Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20/Cu/Co/Cu] multilayers

We have observed giant magnetoresistance in [Ni80Fe20/Cu/Co/Cu] multilayers with well-defined oscillations in magnitude as a function of the Cu layer thickness both at 300 and 4.2 K. The phase and period are found to be very similar to those previously measured in Co/Cu and, more recently, Ni81Fe19/Cu multilayers. However, the existence of a strong contrast in coercive fields between Ni80Fe20, and Co leads to a significant magnetoresistance for Cu layer thicknesses where coupling is zero or even moderately ferromagnetic. At room temperature, resistance changes as large as 7% are observed within a few tens of oersted of zero field

Oscillatory interlayer exchange and magnetoresistance in Fe/Cu multilayers

We have studied the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of Fe/Cu mu1tilayers prepared by sputtering. We find oscillations of the inter1ayer coupling as a function of the Cu thickness with the same long period as in Co/Cu multilayers (around 12.5 Á). The most striking result is that the oscillations in Fe/Cu and Co/Cu have almost exactly opposite phases. A large magnetoresistance of the spin-valve type is observed in the half periods with antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange. However, the magnetoresistance in Fe/Cu is definitely smaller than in Co/Cu