CPP Magnetoresistance of Magnetic Multilayers: A critical review

Abstract

We present a comprehensive review of data and analysis of Giant (G) Magnetoresistance (MR) with Current-flow Perpendicular-to-layer-Planes (CPP-MR) of magnetic multilayers [F/N]n (n = number of repeats) with alternating nanoscale layers of ferromagnetic (F) and non-magnetic (N) metals. GMR, a large change in resistance when an applied magnetic field changes the moment ordering of adjacent F-layers from anti-parallel (AP) to parallel (P), was discovered in 1988 in the Current-flow-in-layer-Planes (CIP) geometry. The CPP-MR has two advantages over the CIP-MR: (1) it allows more direct access to the underlying physics; and (2) it is usually larger, which should be advantageous for devices. When the first CPP-MR data were published in 1991, it was not clear whether electronic transport in GMR multilayers is fully diffusive or at least partly ballistic. It was not known whether the properties of layers and interfaces would vary with layer thickness or number. It was not known if the CPP-MR would be dominated by scattering within the F-metals or at the F/N interfaces. Nothing was known about: (1) spin-flipping within F-metals, characterized by a spin-diffusion length, l(F)sf; (2) interface specific resistances (AR = area A times resistance R) for N1/N2 interfaces; (3) interface specific resistances and spin-dependent scattering asymmetry at F/N and F1/F2 interfaces; and (4) spin-flipping at F/N, F1/F2 and N1/N2 interfaces. Knowledge of spin-dependent scattering asymmetries in F-metals and F-alloys, and of spin-flipping in N-metals and N-alloys was limited. We show how CPP-MR measurements have quantified the scattering and spin-flipping parameters that determine CPP-MR for a wide range of F- and N-metals and alloys and of F/N pairs. We also review progress in finding techniques and F-alloys and F/N pairs to enhance the CPP-MR to make it more competitive for devices.