Perpendicular Giant Magnetoresistance: Study and Application of Spin Dependent Scattering in Magnetic Multilayers of Cobalt/copper and NICKEL(84) IRON(16)/COPPER

Perpendicular transport through magnetic multilayers has been successfully described by the two spin channel model. In the limit where spin flip scattering can be neglected, the transport current is carried by parallel channels of spin up and spin down electrons. Large negative magnetoresistances arise from spin dependent scattering occurring in these channels. Electrons with spins parallel to the local magnetization undergo a different amount of scattering from those with spins antiparallel to the local magnetization. Consequently the multilayer's resistance can be controlled by the relative orientation of the ferromagnetic layers' magnetizations. Usually with the relative orientation antiparallel (parallel) the multilayer has a high (low) resistance. In this dissertation, an analysis of perpendicular transport measurements in the context of the two spin channel model provides quantitative information about the amounts of spin dependent scattering at the Ferromagnetic/Normal metal interfaces and in the bulk Ferromagnet metal for the Co/Cu and Ni_{84}Fe _{16}/Cu systems (Ni_{84}Fe_{16}=Py). This is essential to the understanding of the scattering mechanisms involved in Giant Magnetoresistance. Our results show a significant bulk contribution to the spin dependent scattering; but, it is the interfaces which make the larger contribution to spin dependent scattering in these systems. A larger bulk spin dependent scattering asymmetry was determined for the Py/Cu multilayers, but not as large as expected from data derived previously from ternary alloys. Measurements were made on several Co/CuX series (where X = Pt, Mn, Ge and Ni) to study the transport properties of magnetic multilayers when significant spin flip scattering is present in the system. Analysis was done using the Valet-Fert theory which generalizes the two spin channel model to include finite spin diffusion lengths. A sharp drop in the magnetoresistance is observed when the spin diffusion length ~ layer thickness. These results justify the infinite spin diffusion length assumed in the previous Co/Cu study. The transport properties of magnetic multilayers have an enormous potential for commercial applications. As a way of demonstrating the utility of multilayers, several multilayer systems were designed to meet specific requirements. These included systems which had positive magnetoresistances as well as systems which exhibited (Delta R/R)/DeltaH as high as 10%/Oe in very low magnetic fields at 4.2K. Several attempts were made to extend such high sensitivities to room temperature.