Giant Magnetoresistance and Structure of Phase-Segregated Epitaxial Metals

Abstract

ABSTRACTGiant Magnetoresistance, GMR, in thin metal films elicits attention due to its technological potential as well as its relevance to theory of exchange coupling. Epitaxial, phase-segregated ferromagnet/paramagnet Mixtures have been grown by UHV evaporation. Such films show spontaneous formation of ferromagnetic clusters, leading to large values of GMR (40% at room temperature) as grown. The growth of Co-Cu, Co-Ag, Fe-Ag and Permalloy-Ag films are described. Structural analysis by grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) provides a measure of cluster size and characteristic spacing. Effects of growth temperature and subsequent annealing on GMR and film structure are described. Preliminary results of TEM examination of (001) Fe-Ag and Co-Ag granular films are presented for the first time.