Effect of capping layer on interlayer coupling in synthetic spin valves

Kebin Li; Jinjun Qiu; Guchang Han; Zaibing Guo; Yuankai Zheng; Yihong Wu; Jinshan Li

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.71.014436

Effect of capping layer on interlayer coupling in synthetic spin valves

Kebin Li^*, Jinjun Qiu, Guchang Han, Zaibing Guo, Yuankai Zheng, Yihong Wu, Jinshan Li

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The magnetic and transport properties of high quality synthetic spin-valves with the structure of Ta/NiFe/IrMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/NOL/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/CL were studied by using magnetoresistance measurements. Here Ti, Hf, and Al are used as the capping layer. It is found that both the thickness and materials properties of the capping layers can affect the interlayer coupling field. The interlayer coupling field oscillates weakly with respect to the thickness of the Ti and Hf capping layers. Extremely strong ferromagnetic coupling has been observed when the thickness of the Al capping layer is in a certain range where resonant exchange coupling takes place. The strength of the interlayer coupling is inversely proportional to the square of the thickness of the spacer. It is a typical characteristic of quantum size effect.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	014436
Journal	Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume	71
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.71.014436
State	Published - Jan 2005
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics

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10.1103/PhysRevB.71.014436

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title = "Effect of capping layer on interlayer coupling in synthetic spin valves",

abstract = "The magnetic and transport properties of high quality synthetic spin-valves with the structure of Ta/NiFe/IrMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/NOL/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/CL were studied by using magnetoresistance measurements. Here Ti, Hf, and Al are used as the capping layer. It is found that both the thickness and materials properties of the capping layers can affect the interlayer coupling field. The interlayer coupling field oscillates weakly with respect to the thickness of the Ti and Hf capping layers. Extremely strong ferromagnetic coupling has been observed when the thickness of the Al capping layer is in a certain range where resonant exchange coupling takes place. The strength of the interlayer coupling is inversely proportional to the square of the thickness of the spacer. It is a typical characteristic of quantum size effect.",

author = "Kebin Li and Jinjun Qiu and Guchang Han and Zaibing Guo and Yuankai Zheng and Yihong Wu and Jinshan Li",

year = "2005",

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journal = "Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of capping layer on interlayer coupling in synthetic spin valves

AU - Li, Kebin

AU - Qiu, Jinjun

AU - Han, Guchang

AU - Guo, Zaibing

AU - Zheng, Yuankai

AU - Wu, Yihong

AU - Li, Jinshan

PY - 2005/1

Y1 - 2005/1

N2 - The magnetic and transport properties of high quality synthetic spin-valves with the structure of Ta/NiFe/IrMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/NOL/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/CL were studied by using magnetoresistance measurements. Here Ti, Hf, and Al are used as the capping layer. It is found that both the thickness and materials properties of the capping layers can affect the interlayer coupling field. The interlayer coupling field oscillates weakly with respect to the thickness of the Ti and Hf capping layers. Extremely strong ferromagnetic coupling has been observed when the thickness of the Al capping layer is in a certain range where resonant exchange coupling takes place. The strength of the interlayer coupling is inversely proportional to the square of the thickness of the spacer. It is a typical characteristic of quantum size effect.

AB - The magnetic and transport properties of high quality synthetic spin-valves with the structure of Ta/NiFe/IrMn/CoFe/Ru/CoFe/NOL/CoFe/Cu/CoFe/CL were studied by using magnetoresistance measurements. Here Ti, Hf, and Al are used as the capping layer. It is found that both the thickness and materials properties of the capping layers can affect the interlayer coupling field. The interlayer coupling field oscillates weakly with respect to the thickness of the Ti and Hf capping layers. Extremely strong ferromagnetic coupling has been observed when the thickness of the Al capping layer is in a certain range where resonant exchange coupling takes place. The strength of the interlayer coupling is inversely proportional to the square of the thickness of the spacer. It is a typical characteristic of quantum size effect.

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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.71.014436

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.71.014436

M3 - Article

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JO - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

JF - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

IS - 1

M1 - 014436

ER -

Effect of capping layer on interlayer coupling in synthetic spin valves

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