• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.328-331
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• 2011

Here, we describe a dual spin valve structure with distinct switching fields for two pinned layers. A device with this structure has a staircase of three distinct magnetoresistive states. The multiple resistance states are achieved by controlling the exchange coupling between two ferromagnetic pinned layers and two adjacent anti-ferromagnetic pinning layers. The maximum magnetoresistance ratio is 7.9% for the current-perpendicular-to-plane and 7.2% for the current-in-plane geometries, with intermediate magnetoresistance ratios of 3.9% and 3.3%, respectively. The requirements for using this exchange-biased stack as a three-state memory device are also discussed.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.94-100
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• 2004

We have investigated the magnetic domain structure and the thermal stability of magnetotransport properties of IrMn biased spin-valves containing Co, CoFe and NiFe. The magnetic domain structures were imaged using a magneto-optical indicator film(MOIF) technique. To investigate the thermal stability, magnetoresistance(MR) was measured at annealing temperature(TANN) and room temperature($T_{RT}$) followed by the annealing. Domain imaging reveal that the increase of annealing temperature led to changes in the exchange coupling between the two ferromagnet(FM) layers through nonmagnetic layer rather than between FM and antiferromagnet. unlike the NiFe biased IrMn spin valve with large domains, MOIF pictures of Co and CoFe biased IrMn spin valve structures show the formation of many small microdomains. The magnetic structure, as revealed by the domain images, appeared unchanged while the MR dropped dramatically. From the combined giant magnetoresistance(GMR) and MOIF results, it was apparent that the decrease of MR ratio was not related to the spin valve magnetic structure up to about $350^{\circ}C$($T_{RT}$ ).

• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.44-49
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• 2000

Computer simulation of sensing current effects on the magnetic and magnetoresistance properties of a crossed spin-valve head is carried out. The spin-valve head has the following layer structure: Ta (8.0 nm)/NiMn (25 nm)/NiFe (2.5 nm)/Cu (3.0 nm)/NiFe (5.5 nm)/Ta (3.0 nm), and it is 1500 nm long and 600 nm wide. Even with a high pinning field of 300 Oe and a high hard-biased field of 50 Oe, the ideal crossed spin-valve structure, which is essential to the symmetry of the output signal and hence high density recording, is not realized mainly due to large interlayer magnetostatic interactions. This problem is solved by applying a suitable magnitude of sensing currents along the length direction generating magnetic fields in the width direction. The ideal spin-valve head is expected to show good symmetry of the output signal. This has not been shown explicitly in the present simulation, however, The reason for this is possibly related to the simple assumption used in this calculation that each magnetic layer consists of a single domain.

• 한국자기학회지
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• 제5권5호
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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.

• 한국초전도ㆍ저온공학회논문지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.23-26
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• 2017

We have studied magnetic and transport properties of NbN/FeN/Cu/FeN/FeMn spin-valve structure. In-plane magnetic moment exhibited typical hysteresis loops of spin valves in the normal state of NbN film at 20 K. On the other hand, the magnetic hysteresis loop in the superconducting state exhibited more complex behavior in which exchange bias provided by antiferrmagnetic FeMn layer to adjacent FeN layer was disturbed by superconductivity. Because of this, the ideal superconducting spin-valve effect was not detected. Instead the stray field originated from unsaturated magnetic states dominated the transport properties of NbN/FeN/Cu/FeN/FeMn multilayer.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.96-100
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• 1997

A spin valve structure of NiO(40 nm)/Co(2 nm)/Cu(2.6 nm)/Co(x nm)/Ta(5 nm) has been investigated for the application of magnetic random access memory (MRAM). The spin valve structure exhibited very large difference in the coercivities between pinned and free layers, a relatively high GMR ratio, and a low free layer coercivity. The spin valves were prepared by sputtering and were characterized by dc 4-point probe, and VSM. The spin valves with combined free layer exhibited a maximun GMR ratio of 10.4% with a free layer coercivity of about 82 Oe. The spin valves with a single 10 nm thick a-CoNbZr free layer exhibited a GMR ratio of about 4.3% with a free layer coercivity of about 12 Oe. The GMR ratio of the spin valves increased by addition of Co between Cu and a-CoNbZr. It has been confirmed that the coercivity of free layer can be decreased by increasing the thickness of a-CoNbZr. It has been confirmed that the coercivity of free layer can be decreased by increasing the thickness of a-CoNbZr layer without losing the GMR ratio substantially, which was mainly due to high resistivity of the amorphous "layers".

• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.145-147
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• 2001

The effect of interface roughness between [Ni/Mn] superlattice and pinned NiFe layer on magnetoresistance (MR) of [Ni/Mn] superlattice-based spin valve films was investigated. Antiferromagnetic phase structure and interface roughness of [Ni/Mn] superlattice spin valve films were compared in the as-deposited and the annealed samples at 240$\^{C}$, respectively. Surface morphology of spin valves was substantially flattened due to the formation of the antiferromatic NiMn phase. In case of Co insertion between Cu and NiFe, the interlace roughness and MR ratio in the annealed [NiMn] superlattice and pinned NiFe/Co layer increased more than those in the annealed [Ni/Mn] superlattice and pinned NiFe layers respectively.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.50-54
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• 2000

NiMn-pinned spin valve films consisting of a layered glass/NiFe/Co/Cu/Co/NiFe/NiMn/Ta stack were made by do magnetron sputtering. After deposition, the structure was annealed in a series of cycles each including three hours at $220^\circ C, 2\times10^{-6}$ Torr, in a field of 350 Oe, to create an ordered antiferromagnetic structure in the NiMn layer and produce a strong unidirectional pinning field in the pinned magnetic layer, Optimum spin valve properties were obtained after seven annealing cycles, or 21 hours at $220^\circ C$, and were : MR ratio 1%, exchange coupling field 620 Oe, and coercivity of pinned layer 250 Oe. The exchange coupling field remained constant up to an operating temperature of $175^\circ C$, and the blocking temperature was about $380^\circ C$.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.83-85
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• 2001

The magnetoresistance properties of NiO/NiFe/Cu/NiFe spin valve film deposited on MgO(100) substrate with YBa$_2$$Cu_3O_7$(YBCO) film were investigated at room temperature and at 77 K. The magnetoresistance (MR) curves of the hybrid superconductor-magnetoresistor film structure showed an exchange coupling field of 300 Oe and an inverse magnetoresistance ratio of -6.5%. The magnetization configurations of the two magnetic layers in the NiO spin valve were antiparallel due to an increment in the conduction electron flow to superconductor YBCO film. This sample showed an inverse MR ratio.

• 한국자기학회지
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.212-217
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• 2002

비자성층을 사이에 둔 두 강자성층의 보자력 차이를 이용하여 거대자기저항특성을 나타내는 Ta/CoFe/Cu/NiFe/Ta 구조의 pseudo 스핀밸브를 DC 마그네트론 스퍼터링 방법으로 제조하였다. Ta/CoFe/Cu/NiFe/Ta 구조에서 CoFe층의 두께 변화에 따른 자화 특성 및 자기저항 특성을 조사하였으며, 이 구조에서 CoFe층의 두께가 60 $\AA$일 때 자기저항비는 3.82%이고 CoFe층과 NiFe층 사이의 보자력 차이는 27.4 Oe이다. Ta/CoFe/Cu/NiFe/Ta 구조를 갖는 pseudo 스핀밸브에서 CoFe층과 NiFe층의 보자력 차이는 CoFe층의 두께가 20 $\AA$에서 40 $\AA$까지 증가함에 따라 증가하였으며 40 $\AA$ 이상에서는 감소하였다. 이와 같은 결과는 박막의 결정성 및 포화 자기변형(λ$_{s}$)의 변화에 의한 것으로 판단된다. Cu층과 NiFe층 사이에 CoFe층을 삽입한 Ta/CoFe/Cu/NiFe/Ta 구조에서 삽입층인 CoFe층의 두께 변화에 따른 자화특성 및 자기저항 특성을 조사한 결과 CoFe두께가 10$\AA$시 자기저항비가 6.7 %이며. 삼층막 구조 보다 자기저항비가 약 1.5배 이상 증가함을 알 수 있었다.