Giant room-temperature magnetoresistance in the FeRh alloy

Abstract

The magnetoresistance of the FeRh alloy has been measured in the temperature range 200–300 K using high pulsed magnetic fields up to 36 T. This compound shows a first-order magnetic transition from the antiferromagnetic (AF) low-temperature state to the ferromagnetic (F) high-temperature state at TAF–F=405 K. The F state is very close in energy to the AF state and can be reached by applying a magnetic field. The measurements made within the AF state show that the AF–F transition is accompanied by a giant magnetoresistance effect (ΔR/R≊50%).