Bulk and interfacial scatterings in current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance with Co2Fe(Al0.5Si0.5) Heusler alloy layers and Ag spacer

Abstract

We report the transport properties of a current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) device with Co2Fe(Al0.5Si0.5) (CFAS) Heusler alloy ferromagnetic layers and a Ag spacer layer. The CPP-GMR devices showed relatively high ΔRA values and MR ratios up to 17 m Ω μm2 and 80% at 14 K, and 8 m Ω μm2 and 34% at 290 K. The spin diffusion length ∼3 nm and the bulk spin asymmetry ∼0.77 for the CFAS alloy at 14 K were estimated by the Valet–Fert model, indicating a large contribution of the interfacial scattering.