Applied Physics Letters · 2009 · 54 citations · 19 references
Natural SciencesMaterials SciencePhysicsCondensed Matter PhysicsElectronic MaterialsMagnetic MaterialsFerromagnetic MaterialsMagnetic AnisotropyMagnetic Thin FilmsSpintronic MaterialsSpintronicsThin Film Magnetic PropertiesAnisotropy In FerromagnetsAnisotropy In Magnetic HeterostructuresAntiferromagnetic Thin FilmsMagnetization In Thin FilmsSpin PolarizationSpin ValvesSpintronics-related Ferromagnetic MaterialsUnderlayers
We demonstrate magnetoresistance (MR) in excess of 4% in FePt/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/NiFe pseudo spin valves based on L10 (111)-oriented FePt fixed layers with a 36° out-of-plane tilted magnetization. The high MR is achieved by increasing the spin polarization at the Cu interfaces, using thin CoFe, and optimizing the FePt growth and Cu interface quality using Ta and Ta/Pt underlayers. We observe well-separated switching of the FePt/CoFe fixed layer and the CoFe/NiFe free layer, suggesting that CoFe is rigidly exchange coupled to FePt and NiFe in the respective layers.
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