Novel Electron Transport Studies of Metallic Multilayers at Low Temperatures

9423795 PRATT这项研究项目基于他们开创性的方法来研究铁磁性和非磁性多层人工结构多层膜中的巨磁电阻。这项技术涉及与电流垂直于多层平面的低温测量，被称为CPP-MR。这些测量比类似的面内测量(CIP-MR)显示出更大的磁电阻，并且还提供了更直接的途径来获得基本的自旋相关的散射参数和界面特定的电阻。这项研究将比较CPP-MR和CIP-MR在同一铁磁/非磁性界面上的测量结果。已经开发出新的方法来分析这些数据，以提取关于磁性界面的基本信息。在磁性多层膜在信息存储技术领域中的应用的背景下，该信息也是当前非常感兴趣的。非技术摘要：适当制造的磁性多层膜由磁性金属和非磁性金属交替组成，每个金属只有几个原子厚，具有在施加磁场时其电阻急剧下降的特性。因此，它们可以用来探测非常小的磁场。结合它们的小尺寸和快速响应，这种能力使它们成为记录行业从未来几代更高密度的磁盘和磁带中提取信息的兴趣。它们还显示出在确定汽车发动机部件的位置或旋转速度方面的应用前景。该项目的重点是更好地了解所涉及的基本物理现象，从而实现定制磁性多层膜以满足特定技术需求的能力。目前的研究小组已经开创了发展这种理解的独特技术。这些技术将在本项目中进一步完善并应用于新材料。***

9423795 Pratt This research project extends research based on their has pioneering approach to the study of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in artificially structured multilayers of ferromagnetic and non- magnetic multilayers. The technique involves low temperature measurements with current flow perpendicular to the multilayer planes, and is termed CPP-MR. These measurements exhibit larger magnetoresistance than analogous in-plane measurements (CIP-MR), and also provide more direct access to the fundamental spin- dependent scattering parameters and to the interface-specific resistance. The research will compare CPP-MR and CIP-MR measurements on the same ferromagnetic/non-magnetic interface. New methods have been developed to analyze such data to extract fundamental information about magnetic interfaces. This information is also of great current interest in the context of applications of magnetic multilayers in the field of information storage technology. %%% Non-Technical Abstract: Appropriately fabricated magnetic multilayers, composed of alternating layers of magnetic and non- magnetic metals, each only a few atoms thick, have the property that their electrical resistance decreases drastically upon application of a magnetic field. They can thus be used to detect very small magnetic fields. Combined with their small size and fast response, this capability has made them of interest to the recording industry for extracting information from future generations of higher density magnetic disks and tapes. They also show promise for use in determining position or speeds-of- rotation of auto engine components. This project focuses on better understanding the fundamental physical phenomena involved, so as to achieve the ability to tailor magnetic multilayers to meet specific technological needs. The present research group has pioneered unique techniques for developing such understanding. These techniques will be further improved and applied to new materials in the current project. ***