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Magnetoresistance in a constricted domain wall
José L Prieto1, Mark G Blamire, Jan E Evetts
1Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, United Kingdom. jlp31@cam.ac.uk
Physical Review Letters
|February 7, 2003
Summary
A thin gadolinium (Gd) layer controls domain wall width in permalloy structures. This study confirms domain walls add measurable resistance, aligning with theoretical predictions for magnetic materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Magnetism
Background:
- Understanding magnetic domain walls is crucial for spintronic devices.
- Previous magnetoresistance measurements were complicated by spurious contributions.
- The role of domain walls in device resistance requires unambiguous experimental verification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between gadolinium layer thickness and in-plane domain wall width.
- To accurately measure the magnetoresistance of a permalloy/gadolinium/permalloy structure.
- To experimentally confirm the contribution of domain walls to the total resistance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of multilayer thin films with varying gadolinium layer thickness.
- Measurement of magnetoresistance using current perpendicular to the plane (CPP) geometry.
- Comparison of experimental results with theoretical models for domain wall resistance.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated control over in-plane domain wall width by adjusting gadolinium layer thickness.
- Successfully eliminated spurious contributions in magnetoresistance measurements.
- Provided the first unambiguous experimental evidence of domain wall resistance.
Conclusions:
- The width of in-plane domain walls in Gd/permalloy structures is tunable.
- Domain walls contribute a measurable additional resistance in such magnetic multilayers.
- Experimental findings are in good agreement with theoretical predictions for domain wall resistance.