Influence of deposition temperature on giant magnetoresistance of Fe/Cr multilayers

Abstract

The giant magnetoresistance effect ΔR/R in magnetron-sputter deposited Fe/Cr multilayers is shown to depend strongly on deposition temperature. The largest values of ΔR and magnetoresistance are found in structures deposited at ≅125°C. Structures deposited at lower (≅30°C) or higher (≅200°C) temperatures exhibit lower ΔR and ΔR/R values. Low angle x-ray reflectivity and rocking curve data show that all the structures have well defined layers. However the largest giant MR values are found in structures which have the lowest high field resistivities, R, the longest structural coherence lengths and the narrowest (110) rocking curve widths. These results suggest that more perfect structures have intrinsically higher giant magnetoresistance.