STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF FE-AG GRANULAR MATERIAL

The structural and magnetic properties, particularly the giant magneto resistance (GMR), of Fe-cluster-dispersed Ag films fabricated by an io n cluster beam (ICB) technique are reported. The specimens were charac terized by X-rav diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SAXS measurements show that th e strong scattered intensities vary in shape and the radii of gyration are in the range 7-16 nm depending on the composition. TEM observatio ns also show a grain size of about 20-10 nm. Giant magnetoresistance o f 40% was observed without any heat treatment of the specimens. The ma gnetoresistance curves do not saturate even at 140 kOe although the ma gnetization saturates at a very low magnetic field.