Giant magnetoresistance due to spin-dependent interface scattering

• Published in: Journal of physics. Condensed matter Vol. 6; no. 31; pp. L449 - L454
• Main Author: Nesbet, R K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.08.1994; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electron states and collective excitations in multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic, and nanoscale systems; Electron states and collective excitations in thin films, multilayers, quantum wells, mesoscopic and nanoscale systems; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Galvanomagnetic and other magnetotransport effects (including thermomagnetic effects); Metal and metallic alloys; Metals and metallic alloys; Physics; Electronic structure; Transition elements; Scattering; Superlattices; Theoretical study; Solid-solid interfaces; Copper; Magnetoresistance; Cobalt; Electric conductivity
• ISSN: 0953-8984; 1361-648X
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/6/31/005

Spin dependent electrical resistivity due to scattering by displaced interface atoms has been computed for a layered CuCo superlattice, using full-potential multiple-scattering theory with no free parameters. The magnetoresistance ratio Delta R /R(uparrowuparrow) obtained for the scattering mechanism is 25.03. When interface resistivity, weighted by interpretation concentration cnot =0.10, is combined with bulk resistivity, Delta R/R is in the expected experimental range for adjacent CuCoCu layers. This resistance mechanism produces spin-dependent steady-state chemical potentials, relevant to the bipolar spin switch.