Giant magnetoresistance in

$\rm Fe/Cr$

superlattices without bulk scattering

Author： Schad R. Beliën P. Verbanck G. Temst K. Moshchalkov V. V. Bruynseraede Y. Bahr D. Falta J. Dekoster J. Langouche G.

Publisher： Edp Sciences

E-ISSN： 1286-4854|44|3|379-385

ISSN： 0295-5075

Source： EPL (EUROPHYSICS LETTERS), Vol.44, Iss.3, 2010-03, pp. : 379-385

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Abstract

The Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) observed in magnetic multilayers is due to spin-dependentscattering of electrons at interfaces or bulk defects. In order to unambiguously separate these twopossible contributions, we produced Fe/Cr superlattices with negligible bulk defects, thus providingonly interface scattering. The vertical and lateral interface roughness parameters were quantitativelyanalysed using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Conversion Electron Mößbauer Spectroscopy. Themagnitude of the GMR effect depends on both the vertical roughness amplitude η and the stepdensity n_step. We find a linear increase of the Giant Magnetoresistance with $\eta\timesn_{\rm step}$.