Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2011
This paper focuses on the relation between the microstructure and the Giant Magneto-Resistive (GMR) properties of Au80Co20 and Au80Co10Fe10 granular alloys. After annealing of quenched samples large differences in structure of Co and CoFe nano-particles arise: e.g. fcc Co versus bcc CoFe, spinodal decomposition of Co versus nucleation and growth of FeCo, truncated octahedrons for Co and plates for CoFe. Particularly the shape of the precipitates and the state of coherency at the interface between magnetic particle and non-magnetic matrix turned out to have important influences on the GMR behavior.