• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.272-277
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• 2001

A spin valve structure of Ta/NiFe/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/FeMn/Ta which has a synthetic antiferromagnet (CoFe/Ru/CoFe), was fabricated by using a magnetron sputtering system. The thickness and composition of magnetic free and pinned layers affect the magnetic properties such as exchange interaction strength of each layer and so on. Even though Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) has advantages of quantitative and non-destructive analysis, it is almost impossible to determine the thickness and composition of magnetic thin films using lBS because of its poor mass resolution for a higher atom number (Z>20). In this study, quantitative analysis of the element composition and thickness for the spin valve sample was performed by combining both Proton Induced X-ray Emission Spectrometry (PIXE), which is one of element specific analysis techniques, and grazing-exit RBS with a highly improved depth resolution and absolute quantitative analysis. For the quantitative analysis, standardization of PIXE was carried out with NiFe, CoFe, and FeMn layers, which are one of constituent layers of spin valve films. Through PIXE standardization and the aid of PHE experimental results of the spin valve sample, ire overlapped signal in a grazing-exit RBS spectrum were successfully resolved and the thickness of the Ru layer was determined with a resolution of ∼1 .

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.173-177
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• 2006

We have investigated the magnetoresistance (MR) effect of the spin valve structures composed of perpendicularly magnetized Pd/Co multilayers, with changing the space layer (Pd or Cu) thickness, the stacking number of the Pd/Co multilayers, and the Co insertion-layer thickness. The Cu space layer showed larger MR ratio than the Pd space layer. The Co insertion-layer between Cu layer and pinned layer enhanced the MR ratio about three times. The maximum MR ratio of 7.4 % was established in the sample with the Co insertion-layer thickness of 0.62 and 1.01 nm.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.19-22
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• 2000

The effects of a hard-biased Held on the magnetic and magnetoresistive properties of a crossed spin-valve head are investigated by computer simulation with particular emphasis on the asymmetry of the output signal. The spin-valve considered in this work is NiMn (25 nm)/NiFe (2.5 m)/Cu (3 nm)/NiFe (5.5 m), with a length of 1500 m and a width of 600 nm. A simple model is used where each magnetic layer consists of a single domain, and the magnetoresistance is a function of the angle between the magnetization directions of the two magnetic layers. The ideal crossed spin-valve structure is not realized with the present model and magnetic parameters, but the deviation from ideality is decreased by the hard-biased field. This results in the improvement of the linearity of the output signal with the use of the bias field. The magnetoresistance ratio and magnetoresistive sensitivity, however are reduced. The magnetic properties including the magnetoresistance are found to be strongly affected by magnetostatic interactions, particularly the inter-layer magnetostatic field.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.570-574
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• 1995

Magnetoresistance of NiFeCo/Cu/NiFeCo/FeMn uncoupled exchange biased sandwiches has been studied. The magnetoresistance change ratio, ${\Delta}R/R_{s}$ showed 4.1 % at a saturation field as low as 11 Oe in $Si/Ti(50\;{\AA})/NiFeCo(70\;{\AA})/Cu(23\;{\AA})/NiFeCo(70\;{\AA})/FeMn(150\;{\AA})/Cu(50\;{\AA})$ spin valve structure. In this system, the magnetoresistance was affected by interlayer material and thickness. When Ti and Cu were used as the interlayer material in this structure, maximum magnetoresistance change ratio were 0.32 % and 4.1 %, respectively. 6.1 % MR ratio was obtained in $Si/Ti(50\;{\AA})/NiFeCo(70\;{\AA})/Cu(15\;{\AA})/NiFeCo(70\;{\AA})/FeMn(150\;{\AA})/Cu(50\;{\AA})$ spin valve structure. The magnetoresistance change ratio decreased monotonically as the interlayer thickness increased. It was found that the exchange bias field exerted by FeMn layer to the adjacent NiFeCo layer was ~25 Oe, far smaller than that reported in NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn spin valve structure(Dieny et. al., ~400 Oe). The relationship between the film texture and exchange anisotropy ha been examined for spin valve structures with Ti, Cu, or non-buffer layer.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.81-84
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• 2008

Spin injection and detection in lateral spin valves with double nonmagnetic bottom electrodes are investigated theoretically. Spin-polarized current injected from a magnetic electrode is split to two bottom electrodes, and nonlocal spin signals between the other magnetic electrode and the nonmagnetic electrodes are calculated from drift-diffusion equations. It is shown that the spin signal is approximately proportional to the associated current in the electrode.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 1998

The exchange anisotropy is the unidirectional magnetic anisotropy which comes from exchange interaction between antiferromagnetic layer and ferromagnetic layer. The application of this phenomenon to MR read head and spin-valve type GMR (Giant Magnetoresistance) head has been studied extensively. In our study, we intended to apply exchange anisotropy of NiO/NiFe bilayer to spin-valve type GMR element. Above all, we studied the exchange anisotropy of NiO/NiFe bilayer, and focused especially on the effect of NiO deposition condition. And we found that Ar pressure during NiO deposition was crucial factor for the exchange anisotropy of NiO/NiFe bilayer. The lower the Ar pressure is, the better the characteristics of exhange anisotropy is. Then, we applied this optimum condition of NiO/NiFe bilayer to spin-valve type GMR element. Finally we got spin-valve type GMR element which had 3.6 % MR ratio, 16 Oe switching field, and 0.25 %/Oe sensitivity.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.90-98
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• 2000

The change in the magnetic properties of a spin-valve multilayer with the structure IrMn (9 m)/CoFe (4 nm)/Cu (2.6 nm)/CoFe (2 nm)/NiEe (6 nm) is investigated as a function of the size and the aspect ratio. At a fixed aspect ratio (the length/width ratio) of 2, the magnetostatic interactions begin to affect the magnetic properties substantially at a spin-valve length of 5 $\mum$, and, at a length of 1 $\mum$, they become even more dominant. In the case of a fixed multilayer size (2.4 $\mum$) which is indicated by the sum of the length and the width, magnetization change occurs by continuous spin-reversal and M-H loops are characterized by no or very small hysteresis at aspect ratios smaller than unity, At aspect ratios greater than unity, magnetization change occurs by spin-flip resulting in squared hysteresis loops. A very large changes in the coercivity and the bias field is observed, and these results are explained by two separate contributions to the total magnetostatic interactions: the coercivity by the self-demagnetizing field and the bias field by the interlayer magnetostatic interaction field.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.118-123
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• 2007

We have studied the effect of Au-Cu back layer system ${\sim}10{\AA}$ thick on the properties of a spin valve. The back layers were Cu, Au, co-sputtered $Cu_xAu_{1-x}$, laminated $[Au/Cu]_n$. and bi-layer [Au/Cu]. When Au was added to the Cu, the resistance of the spin valve abruptly increased most likely due to impurity scattering. The GMR values were not increased significantly for all the structures. In the case of co-sputtered $Cu_xAu_{1-x}$, the changes in the resistance, ${\Delta}R$, was increased at a composition of ${\sim}Au_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}$. This increase in ${\Delta}R$ is due to increase in the resistance and not from the enhanced spin-dependent scattering. The structural analyses showed that the orthorhombic $Au_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}$ was formed in the back layer instead of the face-centered tetragonal $Au_{0.5}Cu_{0.5}$ as we expected. Thermal annealing over $400^{\circ}C$ may be required to have face-centered tetragonal in the $10{\AA}$ thick ultra-thin film. In the case of a laminated or bi-layered back layer, the properties of the spin valve were improved, which may be attributed to the increase in the mean free path of conduction electrons.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.14-15
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• 2005

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.212-217
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• 2002

The pseudo spin valve with a structure of Tl/CoFe(t $\AA$)/Cu(30 $\AA$)/NiFe(50 $\AA$)/Ta, showing giant magnetoresistance properties by utilizing coercivity difference between only two soft ferromagnetic layers were produced by d.c UHV magnetron sputtering system. In pseudo spin valve Ta/CoFe/Cu/NiFe/Ta, the magnetic and magnetoresistance properties with change of CoFe thickness were investigated. When the thickness of CoFe was 60 $\AA$, a typical MR curve of pseudo spin valve structure was obtained, showing MR ratio of 3.8 cio and the coercivity difference of 27.4 Oe with a sharp change of hard layer switching. When the CoFe thickness was varied from 20 to 100 $\AA$, coercivity difference between two layers was increased to 40 $\AA$. and decreased to 100 $\AA$ gradually. It is thought the change in coercivity of hard layer was due to the crystallinity and magnetostriction of thin CoFe layer. In order to improve the MR property in CoFe/Cu/NiFe trier layer structure, CoFe layer with change of 2-20 $\AA$ thick was inserted between Cu and NiFe. When the thickness of CoFe was 10 $\AA$, MR ratio was 6.7％, showing excellent MR property. This indicates 50 ％ higher than that of CoFe/Cu/NiFe pseudo spin valve.