MAGNETORESISTANCE OF EPITAXIALLY GROWN METALLIC MULTILAYERS

MAGNETORESISTANCE OF EPITAXIALLY GROWN METALLIC MULTILAYERS

The epitaxial TM/bcc-Cr(001) (TM=Fe, Co, Ni) multilayers have been prepared using MBE. The crystal structure, interlayer exchange coupling and magnetoresistance of those multilayers have been discussed. The structure of Fe, Co and Ni grown on bcc-Cr(001) exhibited bcc(001), distorted hcp(1120) and fcc(110), respectively. In Fe/Cr multilayes, an oscillatory exchange coupling has been observed, but not observed in Ni/Cr system, which may come from the large mixing at interfaces. Large MR ratio (116%, 4.2K) has been obtained in Fe/Cr system, but only 2% in Co/Cr system. This difference can be understood from the view point of the relative potential geight for down spin electrons between TM and Cr.