Magnetoresistance behavior of ferromagnetic nanorings in a ring-wire hybrid configuration

We present a technique for probing the magnetic configurations in ferromagnetic rings electrically without placing the electrical contact leads directly on the nanorings, but on wires attached to the ring structures. The magnetic configurations in pseudo spin valve rectangular and elliptical rings of width in the range from 60 to 300 nm have been systematically mapped using this technique. The giant magnetoresistance (GMR) responses for both the rings exhibit distinct switching fields and features corresponding to identifiable magnetization states in different segments of the nanostructures.