SPECULAR VS DIFFUSE INTERFACE SCATTERING IN PERPENDICULAR TRANSPORT

A scattering theory of perpendicular transport in metallic multilayers is Presented with emphasis on the effects of interface disorder. The diffuse and specular contributions to the interface roughness scatteri ng are shown to be equally important. New predictions for the transpor t properties of interfaces with a low concentration of strongly scatte ring defects should be accessible to verification by experiments. The theory is applied to the spin-valve effect in magnetic multilayers.