Giant magnetoresistance in symmetric spin-valves: nanostructure and domain dynamics

Harsh Deep Chopra; B. J. Hockey; L. J. Swartzendruber; Susan Z. Hua; P. J. Chen; K. Raj; D. S. Lashmore; Manfred Wuttig; W. F. Egelhoff

doi:10.1016/s0965-9773(97)00098-6

Giant magnetoresistance in symmetric spin-valves: nanostructure and domain dynamics

Harsh Deep Chopra
, B. J. Hockey
, L. J. Swartzendruber
, Susan Z. Hua
, P. J. Chen
, K. Raj
, D. S. Lashmore
, Manfred Wuttig
, W. F. Egelhoff

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

National Institute of Standards and Technology
University of Maryland, College Park
Dartmouth College
Ferrotec Corporation
Materials Innovation, Inc.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to investigate the nanostructure of symmetric spin-valves (SSV) of the type NiO/Co/Cu/Co/Cu/Co/NiO. The Co/Cu layers grow coherently over each other within columnar grains, the topography of the columns being conformal with that of the underlying NiO layer. Clear evidence is presented which shows that the middle Co layer switches between antiferromagnetic (AF) ⇔ ferromagnetic (F) aligned states by domain wall nucleation and growth; the Co layers, magnetically pinned by NiO, undergo reversal at high fields (48 mT), but no accompanying wall motion was observed. The wall nucleation of the middle Co layer is explained in terms of the presence of local AF-coupled regions arising from fluctuations in Cu layer thickness.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	451-454
Number of pages	4
Journal	Nanostructured Materials
Volume	9
Issue number	1-8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/s0965-9773(97)00098-6
State	Published - 1997

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@article{49f53bdcfeef43acb54eb00dd870f199,

title = "Giant magnetoresistance in symmetric spin-valves: nanostructure and domain dynamics",

abstract = "High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to investigate the nanostructure of symmetric spin-valves (SSV) of the type NiO/Co/Cu/Co/Cu/Co/NiO. The Co/Cu layers grow coherently over each other within columnar grains, the topography of the columns being conformal with that of the underlying NiO layer. Clear evidence is presented which shows that the middle Co layer switches between antiferromagnetic (AF) ⇔ ferromagnetic (F) aligned states by domain wall nucleation and growth; the Co layers, magnetically pinned by NiO, undergo reversal at high fields (48 mT), but no accompanying wall motion was observed. The wall nucleation of the middle Co layer is explained in terms of the presence of local AF-coupled regions arising from fluctuations in Cu layer thickness.",

author = "Chopra, \{Harsh Deep\} and Hockey, \{B. J.\} and Swartzendruber, \{L. J.\} and Hua, \{Susan Z.\} and Chen, \{P. J.\} and K. Raj and Lashmore, \{D. S.\} and Manfred Wuttig and Egelhoff, \{W. F.\}",

year = "1997",

doi = "10.1016/s0965-9773(97)00098-6",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "451--454",

journal = "Nanostructured Materials",

issn = "0965-9773",

publisher = "Pergamon Press Ltd.",

number = "1-8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Giant magnetoresistance in symmetric spin-valves

T2 - nanostructure and domain dynamics

AU - Chopra, Harsh Deep

AU - Hockey, B. J.

AU - Swartzendruber, L. J.

AU - Hua, Susan Z.

AU - Chen, P. J.

AU - Raj, K.

AU - Lashmore, D. S.

AU - Wuttig, Manfred

AU - Egelhoff, W. F.

PY - 1997

Y1 - 1997

N2 - High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to investigate the nanostructure of symmetric spin-valves (SSV) of the type NiO/Co/Cu/Co/Cu/Co/NiO. The Co/Cu layers grow coherently over each other within columnar grains, the topography of the columns being conformal with that of the underlying NiO layer. Clear evidence is presented which shows that the middle Co layer switches between antiferromagnetic (AF) ⇔ ferromagnetic (F) aligned states by domain wall nucleation and growth; the Co layers, magnetically pinned by NiO, undergo reversal at high fields (48 mT), but no accompanying wall motion was observed. The wall nucleation of the middle Co layer is explained in terms of the presence of local AF-coupled regions arising from fluctuations in Cu layer thickness.

AB - High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to investigate the nanostructure of symmetric spin-valves (SSV) of the type NiO/Co/Cu/Co/Cu/Co/NiO. The Co/Cu layers grow coherently over each other within columnar grains, the topography of the columns being conformal with that of the underlying NiO layer. Clear evidence is presented which shows that the middle Co layer switches between antiferromagnetic (AF) ⇔ ferromagnetic (F) aligned states by domain wall nucleation and growth; the Co layers, magnetically pinned by NiO, undergo reversal at high fields (48 mT), but no accompanying wall motion was observed. The wall nucleation of the middle Co layer is explained in terms of the presence of local AF-coupled regions arising from fluctuations in Cu layer thickness.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0039126897

U2 - 10.1016/s0965-9773(97)00098-6

DO - 10.1016/s0965-9773(97)00098-6

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0039126897

SN - 0965-9773

VL - 9

SP - 451

EP - 454

JO - Nanostructured Materials

JF - Nanostructured Materials

IS - 1-8

ER -

Giant magnetoresistance in symmetric spin-valves: nanostructure and domain dynamics

Abstract

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