GIANT AND ANISOTROPIC MAGNETORESISTANCE IN SINGLE-LAYER NI66FE16CO18-AG FILMS

Single layer Ni66Fe16Co18-Ag thin films were made by cosputtering from a composite Ni66Fe16Co18-Ag target. At the silver rich end of the com position range (almost-equal-to 57%-80 at. % Ag) we have found ''giant '' magnetoresistance (a maximum of -9% at room temperature at -72 at. % Ag after annealing at 300-degrees-C for 1/2 h), while in the midcomp osition range (almost-equal-to 42 almost-equal-to 57 at. % Ag), we hav e observed anisotropic magnetoresistance.