MULTIDOMAIN AND INCOMPLETE ALIGNMENT EFFECTS IN GIANT MAGNETORESISTANCE TRILAYERS

The element specific magnetic hysteresis curves of Fe/Cu/Co trilayer s tructures can be used in conjunction with the measured magnetoresistan ce curves to extract the coefficient of the giant magnetoresistance (G MR) independent of magnetic domain effects and incomplete alignment ef fects, allowing for a measure of the maximum attainable GMR for that t rilayer. Information concerning the details of the trilayer switching can be extracted showing that sputtered polycrystalline films of Fe/Cu /Co deposited on Si switch their magnetization directions like multido main Ising magnets.