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Title: Large magnetoresistance in current-perpendicular-to-plane pseudo spin-valves using Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) Heusler alloy and AgZn spacer

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4930229· OSTI ID:22482089
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  1. Magnetic Materials Unit, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0047 (Japan)

Fully epitaxial pseudo spin-valves (PSVs) using 10-nm-thick Co{sub 2}Fe(Ga{sub 0.5}Ge{sub 0.5}) (CFGG) ferromagnetic layers and a 5-nm-thick AgZn space layer annealed at 630 °C show a large current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) output with resistance-change area product, ΔRA, of 21.5 mΩ μm{sup 2} and MR ratio of 59.6% at room temperature. These values are substantially enhanced to ΔRA of 59.8 mΩ μm{sup 2} and MR ratio of 200.0% at 10 K. The large MR is attributed to the high spin polarization of the CFGG electrodes with the enhanced L2{sub 1} ordering induced by the atomic diffusion of Zn through the CFGG layers. The CPP-PSV shows relatively large ΔRA of 10.9 mΩ μm{sup 2} with the MR ratio of 25.6% for the low annealing temperature of 350 °C, which is a practically useful feature for read sensor applications.

OSTI ID:
22482089
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English