New Macroscopic Ferrimagnets in the System Co-TbN

Abstract

This study examines a new macroscopic ferrimagnet, Co-TbN. This ferrimagnet, consisting of two metallic phases, Co and TbN, demonstrated the typical macroscopic ferrimagnet properties of a magnetic compensation point and a negative giant magnetoresistance (GMR). The Co-TbN system with 32% TbN composition showed 0.72% GMR in magnetic fields up to 8 kOe at room temperature and 9% GMR in 40 kOe at 250 K. In the Co-TbN system, GMR exhibited a different dependence on temperature from that of ordinary GMR materials whose negative magnetoresistance decreases with increasing temperature. In contrast to ordinary GMR materials whose negative magnetoresistance decreases with increasing temperature, the GMR effect in the Co-TbN system increased with increasing temperature, due to the increase of ferromagnetic alignment of the Co and TbN in the magnetic field caused by the decreased exchange coupling with increasing temperature.