Calculation of the temperature dependence of the giant MR and application to Co/Cu multilayers

Abstract

Most theoretical models of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in metallic magnetic multilayers developed up to now are for the zero-temperature limit, thus neglecting the spin-flip scattering arising from spin fluctuations (magnons), as well as other scatterings from thermal excitations. To account for the temperature dependence of the GMR, we have introduced electron–magnon and electron–phonon scattering terms in a Camley–Barnas-like semi-classical model. We apply our calculation to the interpretation of the temperature dependence of the resistivity and GMR in Co/Cu.