Giant magnetoresistance and soft magnetic properties of Co90Fe10/Cu spin-valve structures

Abstract
Spin‐valve structures with a magnetic material buffer layer, CoNbZr/NiFe/Co90Fe10/Cu/Co90Fe10/Fe50Mn50, were prepared on a oxidized Si substrate. From x‐ray diffraction analysis, it was shown that the CoNbZr/NiFe buffer layer enhances the fcc (111) orientation of the spin‐valve structure on oxidized Si. After annealing, the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) ratio of Δρ/ρ=8% and the soft magnetic properties of Hc=0.1 Oe and Hk=2.8 Oe were obtained. The sensitivity of GMR, Δ(Δρ/ρ)/ΔH, of 1.4%/Oe is achieved.