• Journal of Magnetics
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.328-331
• /
• 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.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.94-100
• /
• 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
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.44-49
• /
• 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.

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

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.23-26
• /
• 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
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.96-100
• /
• 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
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.145-147
• /
• 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
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.50-54
• /
• 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
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.83-85
• /
• 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.

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