Giant Magnetoresistance in Co/Ag Multilayers

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Magnetoresistance (MR), Magnetic properties, and crystal structure of dc magnetron sputtered CO/Ag periodic multilayers have been investigated. The Co layer thickness was fixed at -30 Å while the thickness of the Ag layer was systematically varied. ‘Giant’ magnetoresistance was observed. The MR ratio has been found to decline monotonically with increasing Ag thickness in the range 30 Å to 107 Å. Although the maximum room temperature MR ratio is a Modest 4.78%, a more technologically significant measurement of field sensitivity (MR ratio/FWHM of the MR vs. H peak) is a promising 0.1%/Oe at its best. The effect of the number of bilayer units has also been examined and no substantial differences were noted between multilayers containing 8, 9, and 10 bilayer units. Coercivities as determined by both magnetometer and the splitting of the MR peaks are in agreement and increase from 25 to 38 Oe with increasing Ag thickness. Evidence for antiferromagnetic coupling is apparent in the hysteresis loops. High angle X-ray diffractometry (HXRD) in the θ-2θ mode revealed a strong Ag (111) texture in the film, with satellite peaks indicating a layered structure. Low angle XRD (LXRD) also yielded broad superlattice peaks in all samples at least to the second order.