CMR of Co/Cu multilayers with reduced hysteresis and low-field response

摘要

We present the results of a systematic study on optimization of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) response in Co/Cu multilayers (MLs) for copper layer thickness near the second oscillatory peak. Co/Cu MLs with alternating thick (t(1)Co) and thin (t(2)Co) layers have been prepared in the from of (Cot(1) CoA/Cu20A/Cot(2)CoA/Cu20A)15. We have found that the magnetoresistive hysteresis of these MLs is reduced with decreasing t(2)Co and has disappeared when t(2)Co<4.5A. We have obtained an optimal GMR response with a field sensitivity of 0. 013%/Oe over a field region of -60 Oe centered at -50 Oe. This architecture may enable the use of Cu/Co MLs in low-field magnetic sensor applications.