It is shown that the maximum stable output of a CPP-GMR sensor is increased significantly by using a synthetic ferrimagnet free layer, provided the electron current flows from free layer to reference layer. This free layer allows a larger magnetoresistance ratio for a given free layer magnetic moment, and in addition results in a greater than three-fold increase in the critical current above which spin-torque instability of the free layer occurs. In read heads with net free layer moments equivalent to only 4.5nm of Ni80Fe20, this effect is shown to result in sustainable sense current densities above 2e8 A/cm2.
We study the effect on CPP GMR of changing the order of the layers in a multilayer. Using a tight-binding simple cubic two band model (s-d), magneto-transport properties are calculated in the zero-temperature, zero-bias limit, within the Landauer-Buttiker formalism. We demonstrate that for layers of different thicknesses formed from a single magnetic metal and multilayers formed from two magnetic metals, the GMR ratio and its dependence on disorder is sensitive to the order of the layers. This effect disappears in the limit of large disorder, where the results of the widely-used Boltzmann appr…
We theoretically studied spin dependent electron transport perpendicular-to-plain (CPP) in magnetic laminated multilayered structures by using Kubo formalism. We took into account not only bulk scattering, but the interface resistance due to both specular and diffuse reflection and also spin conserving and spin-flip processes. It was shown that spin-flip scattering at interfaces substantially reduces the value of GMR. This can explain the experimental observations that the CPP GMR ratio for laminated structures only slightly increases as compared to non-laminated ones despite lamination induce…
We theoretically study the magnetoresistance of a CPP-GMR system with current confined paths (CCP) in the framework of Valet-Fert theory. The continuity equations for charge and spin currents are numerically solved with the three-dimensional CCP geometry by use of finite element method. It is confirmed that the MR ratio is enhanced by the CCP structure, which is consistent with the experimental results. Moreover, we find that there exists a certain contact width which maximize the MR ratio. We show that the contact width which maximize the MR ratio is well described by the effective resistance…
This paper derives expressions for the critical current at the onset of spin-transfer-torque (STT) instability in CPP-GMR read heads, as a function of the relative angle (theta) between the free and reference layer magnetizations. Including a general angular dependent STT coefficient B(q=cos(theta)) exclusive of the angular momentum conserving sin(theta) factor, the critical current is found to depend on both B(q) and dB/dq in the non-collinear case |q| < 1. The paper also details the experimental measurement of the angular dependent critical currents on 50-nm sized CPP-GMR devices with synthe…
We analyze the interplay between disorder and band structure in current perpendicular to the planes (CPP) giant magnetoresistance (GMR). We consider finite magnetic multilayers attached to pure crystalline leads, described by a tight-binding simple cubic two-band model (s-d). Several models of disorder are considered, including random on-site potentials, lattice distortions, impurities, vacancies, and cross-section fluctuations. Magneto-transport properties are calculated in the zero-temperature zero-bias limit, within the Landauer-Buttiker formalism. Using a very efficient numerical scatterin…
Spin-dependent transport in a full van der Waals (vdW) giant magnetoresistance (GMR) junctions with the structure of Fe3GeTe2/XTe2/Fe3GeTe2 (X = Pt, Pd) has been investigated by using first-principles calculations. The ballistic conductance, magnetoresistance (MR) and resistance-area product (RA) have been calculated in a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) geometry. A giant magnetoresistance of around 2000% and RA less than 0.3 Ω μm2 have been found in the proposed vdW CPP GMR. In addition, the spin-orbit coupling effect on transport and anisotropy magnetoresistance (AMR) has also been inves…
In-situ, device level measurement of thermal mag-noise spectral linewidths in 60nm diameter CPP-GMR spin-valve stacks of IrMn/ref/Cu/free, with reference and free layer of similar CoFe/CoFeGe alloy, are used to simultaneously determine the intrinsic Gilbert damping for both magnetic layers. It is shown that careful alignment at a "magic-angle" between free and reference layer static equilibrium magnetization can allow direct measurement of the broadband intrinsic thermal spectra in the virtual absence of spin-torque effects which otherwise grossly distort the spectral line shapes and require l…
Magnetic and transport properties are explored in the current perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) spin salves with Cr doped wide band gap semiconductor ZnTe as one of the ferromagnetic electrodes. A negative magnetoresistance is observed in these CPP spin valves at low temperature, with a strong temperature dependence. This effect can be explained by the large difference of spin scattering asymmetry coefficients in (Zn,Cr)Te and Cobalt, due to the very different spin polarizations of the two materials as revealed by the DFT calculation.
We study spin-scattering asymmetry at the interface of two ferromagnets (FMs) based on a half-metallic Co$_{2}$Fe$_{0.4}$Mn$_{0.6}$Si (CFMS)/CoFe interface. First-principles ballistic transport calculations based on Landauer formula for (001)-CoFe/CFMS/CoFe indicate strong spin-dependent conductance at the CFMS/CoFe interface, suggesting a large interface spin-scattering asymmetry coefficient ($γ$). Fully epitaxial current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) pseudo-spin-valve (PSV) devices involving CoFe/CFMS/Ag/CFMS/CoFe structures exhibit an enhancement in MR output owin…
We present a comprehensive review of data and analysis of Giant (G) Magnetoresistance (MR) with Current-flow Perpendicular-to-layer-Planes (CPP-MR) of magnetic multilayers [F/N]n (n = number of repeats) with alternating nanoscale layers of ferromagnetic (F) and non-magnetic (N) metals. GMR, a large change in resistance when an applied magnetic field changes the moment ordering of adjacent F-layers from anti-parallel (AP) to parallel (P), was discovered in 1988 in the Current-flow-in-layer-Planes (CIP) geometry. The CPP-MR has two advantages over the CIP-MR: (1) it allows more direct access to …
Measurements of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) in ferromagnetic/non-magnetic (F/N) multilayers with Current flow Perpendicular to the layer Planes (CPP-geometry) can give better access to the fundamental physics underlying GMR than measurements with the more usual Current flow In the layer Planes (CIP geometry). Because the same measuring current passes through all of the layers, the CPP-MR can often be described by simpler equations that allow separation of effects of scattering within the bulk of the F- and N-metals and at F/N, N1/N2, and F/S (S = superconductor) interfaces. We first describe…
Reducing critical current for spin-transfer-torque-induced magnetization reversal in CPP-GMR devices: effect of low damping and enhanced spin scattering asymmetry in $Co_2FeGa_{0.5}Ge_{0.5}$ Heusler alloy
It is shown that the current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magneto-resistance (CPP-GMR) oscillations, in the ballistic regime, are strongly correlated with those of the exchange coupling (J). Both the GMR and J are treated on equal footing within a rigorously solvable tight-binding single-band model. The strong correlation consists in sharing asymptotically the same period, determined by the spacer Fermi surface, and oscillating with varying spacer thickness predominantly in opposite phases.
We present an all-Heusler architecture which could be used as a rational design scheme for achieving high spin-filtering efficiency in the current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) devices. A Co2MnSi/Ni2NiSi/Co2MnSi trilayer stack is chosen as the prototype of such an architecture, of which the electronic structure and magnetotransport properties are systematically investigated by first principles approaches. Almost perfectly matched energy bands and Fermi surfaces between the all-Heusler electrode-spacer pair are found, indicating large interfacial spin-asymmetry, high …
We fabricated a current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) nanopillar with a 1-nm-thick FePt free layer having perpendicular anisotropy using the alternate monatomic layer deposition method. Nanopillars consisting of [Fe (1 monolayer (ML))/Pt (1 ML)]n (n: the number of the alternation period) ferromagnetic layers and an Au spacer layer showed spin-transfer induced switching at room temperature.
Detailed and high-throughput measurement of composition dependence of magnetoresistance and spin-transfer torque using a composition-gradient film: application to Co$_{x}$Fe$_{1-x}$ (0 $\le$ $\textit{x}$ $\le$ 1) system
A novel, general Green's function technique for elastic spin-dependent transport calculations is presented, which (i) scales linearly with system size and (ii) allows straightforward application to general tight-binding Hamiltonians (spd in the present work). The method is applied to studies of conductance and giant magnetoresistance (GMR) of magnetic multilayers in CPP (current perpendicular to planes) geometry in the limit of large coherence length. The magnetic materials considered are Co and Ni, with various non-magnetic materials from the 3d, 4d, and 5d transition metal series. Realistic …
We report the current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance of a spin valve with Co2MnSi (CMS) Heusler alloy ferromagnetic electrodes. A multilayer stack of Cr/Ag/Cr/CMS/Cu/CMS/Fe25Co75/Ir28Mn72/Ru was deposited on a MgO (001) single crystal substrate. The bottom CMS layer was epitaxially grown on the Cr/Ag/Cr buffer layers and was ordered to the L21 structure after annealing at 673 K. The upper CMS layer was found to grow epitaxially on the Cu spacer layer despite the large lattice mismatch between Cu and CMS. The highest MR ratios of 8.6% and 30.7% for CPP-GMR were recorded at room …
To study spin flipping within the antiferromagnet IrMn, we extended prior Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane (CPP) Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) studies of Py-based exchange-biased-spin-valves containing IrMn inserts to thicker IrMn layers-5 nm less than or equal to t(IrMn) less than or equal to 30 nm. Unexpectedly, AΔR = A[R(AP) - R(P)]--the difference in specific resistance between the anti-parallel (AP) and parallel (P) magnetic states of the two Py layers-did not decrease with increasing t(IrMn), for t(IrMn) greater than 5 nm, but rather became constant to within our measuring uncertainty. Thi…
