Magnetic and magnetotransport properties of current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) giant-magnetoresistance (GMR) spin-valve sensors containing the Heusler alloy Co2MnGe are presented. The geometrical and head integration constraints which exist for recording head applications are discussed and dictate various design compromises which determine the final device properties. Here we show that even for small total sensor thicknesses 400 Å and anneal temperatures < 250 °C we can obtain CPP-GMR signal levels up to ΔRA = 4 mΩ-μm2 at room temperature when inserting Co2MnGe in both the free layer and reference layers of the spin valve. Output levels increase to 10 mΩ-μm2 when reducing the temperature below 100 K, demonstrating the strong temperature dependence of the spin-dependent scattering in the Co2MnGe-based magnetic layers.
We determined the exchange anisotropy and rotational anisotropy of IrMn(7 nm)/Fe(t=3–20 nm)/IrMn(7 nm) exchange-biased structures using conventional ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and network analyzer FMR (NA-FMR). Compared to single Fe layer films of identical thickness, we observe an isotropic downward shift and an angular variation of the FMR resonance field in the multilayer structures. The isotropic shift originates from the rotational anisotropy, while the angular variation originates from the exchange anisotropy. Both exchange anisotropy and rotational anisotropy increase with decreasing Fe thickness in the exchange-biased structures. The isotropic downward shift of the resonance field translates to an upward shift of the resonance frequency, and can be used to boost the operational frequency of microwave devices (bandpass/stop filters) by several gigahertz.
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