Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-7drxs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T23:27:33.675Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Four-probe Magnetoresistance of Current-perpendicular-to-plane Structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Hua Zhou ,
Mark W. Covington  and
Michael A. Seigler
Hua Zhou
Affiliation:
Hua.Zhou@seagate.com, Seagate Technology, 1251 Waterfront Place, Pittsburgh, PA, 15222, United States
Mark W. Covington
Affiliation:
Mark.W.Covington@seagate.com, Seagate Technology, United States
Michael A. Seigler
Affiliation:
Mike.A.Seigler@seagate.com, Seagate Technology, United States
Get access

Abstract

The resistance and magnetoresistance (MR) of three-dimensional current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) structures have been calculated via numerical finite element solutions of the Laplace equation. This model accounts for the non-uniform current paths in a four-probe geometry that can yield MR that differs from the intrinsic MR of the isolated CPP pillar with spatially uniform current flow. We calculated the four-probe MR for various geometries and resistivities of both the normal metal leads and the magnetoresistive pillar. From a single, unified approach, we are able to consistently account for the disparate behavior that has been previously published. In particular, we identify conditions that produce four-probe MR that differs from the intrinsic MR of the CPP pillar and highlight those situations where the four-probe resistance is negative. Finally, we present a simple analytical formula for the MR ratio that is applicable to narrow CPP pillars with wide, thin leads.

Keywords

magnetoresistance (transport)magneticsensor
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 906: Symposium HH – Magnetic Sensors and Sensing Systems , 2005 , 0906-HH01-07
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1] Pratt, J., P., W., Lee, S.-F., Slaughter, J. M., Loloee, R., Schroeder, P. A., and Bass, J., Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 3060 (1991).Google Scholar
[2] Spallas, J. P., Mao, M., Law, B., Grabner, F., O'Kane, D., and Cerjan, C., IEEE Trans. Magn. 33, 3391 (1997).Google Scholar
[3] Seigler, M. A., van der Heijden, P. A. A., Litvinov, A. E., and Rottmayer, R. E., IEEE Trans. Magn. 39, 1855 (2003).Google Scholar
[4] Lenczowski, S. K. J., van de Veerdonk, R. J. M., Gijs, M. A. M., Giesbers, J. B., and Janssen, H. H. J. M., J. Appl. Phys. 75, 5154 (1994).Google Scholar
[5] Moodera, J. S., Kinder, L. R., Nowak, J., LeClair, P., and Meservey, R., Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 708 (1996).Google Scholar
[6] Pedersen, R. J. and Vernon, F. L. Jr., Appl. Phys. Lett. 10, 29 (1967).Google Scholar
[7] van de Veerdonk, R. J. M., Nowak, J., Meservey, R., Moodera, J. S., and de Jonge, W. J. M., Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 2839 (1997).Google Scholar
[8] Matsuda, K., Watari, N., Kamijo, A., and Tsuge, H., Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 3060 (2000).Google Scholar
[9] Chen, J., Li, Y., Nowak, J., and de-Castro, J. Fernandez, J. Appl. Phys. 91, 8783 (2002).Google Scholar
[10] Bussmann, K., Cheng, S. F., Prinz, G. A., Hu, Y., Gutmann, R., Wang, D., and Beech, R., IEEE Trans. Magn. 34, 924 (1998).Google Scholar
[11] Spallas, J. P., Huai, Y., Vernon, S., Fuchs, B., Law, B., R, D.. Kania, Kroes, D., Thomas, M., O'Kane, D., and Tan, Z. C. H., IEEE Trans. Magn. 32, 4710 (1996).Google Scholar
[12] Seyama, Y., Tanaka, A., and Oshiki, M., IEEE Trans. Magn. 35, 2838 (1999).Google Scholar