EXTRACTION OF THE COEFFICIENT OF GIANT MAGNETORESISTANCE

Element specific magnetic hysteresis (ESMH) loops have been used in co njunction with measured magnetoresistance curves to extract the coeffi cient of giant magnetoresistance (GMR), which is the maximum achievabl e value of the GMR independent of magnetic domain effects and incomple te moment alignment effects, for sputtered Fe/Cu/Co sandwiches on sili con substrates. Using the ESMH loops to calculate GMR curves, comparis on with the measured GMR curves shows that the magnetization reversal process is best described by multidomain Ising behavior.