Magnetic and magnetoresistive properties of nanocomposites based on Co and SiO

Abstract

A series of thin-film nanocomposites based on ferromagnetic metal Co and insulator SiO were prepared using an electron-beam method. The magnetoresistive and magnetic properties of these structures deposited at room temperature and then annealed to 700 K were investigated. The results showed that at the Co concentration 40 [Formula: see text]x [Formula: see text] 60 at.%, thin-film nanocomposites exhibit magnetoresistance (MR) that is conditional on spin-dependent tunnelling of electrons. This range of concentrations corresponds to the prepercolation area according to the magnetic investigations. For samples with x [Formula: see text] 70 at.%, the anisotropic character of MR peculiar to the homogeneous ferromagnetic materials appears. According to the magnetic properties study, this range of concentrations corresponds to the area after transition through the percolation threshold. The annealing process in temperature range from 300 K to 700 K in the magnetic field slightly influenced the magnetoresistive properties of the thin-film nanocomposites based on Co and SiO for all range of concentrations.