Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Scattering anisotropy and giant magnetoresistance in magnetic multilayers

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1361047· OSTI ID:40203971
We present full ab initio calculations of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in Co/Cu (001) multilayers including self-consistent impurity scattering potentials. Starting from density functional theory the electronic structure of the multilayer and the scattering at impurities are described by means of a new Green function method. It will be demonstrated that impurity scattering in magnetic multilayers is strongly anisotropic in comparison to impurity scattering in bulk systems. Concerning transport the anisotropy of scattering leads to a formation of highly conducting channels which give rise to short circuits and cause strong variation of GMR as a function of the impurity position in the multilayer. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.
Sponsoring Organization:
(US)
OSTI ID:
40203971
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 89; ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
The American Physical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Finite-size effects in giant magnetoresistance multilayers
Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001 · Journal of Applied Physics · OSTI ID:40203974

Field-dependent thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity in multilayered and granular giant magnetoresistive systems
Journal Article · Sat Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1996 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter · OSTI ID:397613

Dependence of the giant magnetoresistance on the concentration of magnetic particles in granular composites
Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2001 · Journal of Applied Physics · OSTI ID:40204378