Enhanced spin-valve giant magneto-resistance in non-exchange biased sandwich films

Conference · Thu Feb 17 04:00:00 EST 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/20.908611· OSTI ID:756889

Mao, M ^[1]; Cerjan, C; Law, B; Grabner, F; Miloslavsky, L; Chien, C

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1. LLNL

A large giant magnetoresistance (GMR) value of 7.5% has been measured in simple NiFeCo(1)/Cu/NiFeCo(2) sandwich films grown on a 30 {angstrom} Cr seed layer. This spin-valve GMR effect is consistent with the differential switching of the two NiFeCo layers due to an enhanced coercivity of the NiFeCo(1) layer grown on the Cr seed layer. A change in growth texture of the NiFeCo(1) layer from fcc (111) to bcc (110) crystallographic orientation leads to an increase in magnetic anisotropy and an enhancement in coercivity. The GMR value increases to 8.7% when a thin CoFe interfacial enhancing layer is incorporated. Further enhancement in GMR values up to 14% is seen in the sandwich films by nano-oxide layer formation. The specular reflection at oxide/magnetic layer interface further extends the mean free path of spin-polarized electrons.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 756889
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-137664; YN0100000; YN0100000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COBALT ALLOYS
COERCIVE FORCE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COPPER
IRON ALLOYS
LAYERS
MAGNETORESISTANCE
NICKEL ALLOYS