CORRELATION BETWEEN DOMAIN-STRUCTURE AND MAGNETORESISTANCE IN AN ACTIVE SPIN-VALVE ELEMENT

In situ experiments in a Lorentz transmission-electron microscope have been performed on spin-valve elements through which a current is brin g applied. The ability to simultaneously measure the resistance and ob serve the domain structure of the element has allowed us to correlate magnetoresistance with the angle between the magnetization directions in the ferromagnetic layers. The angles have been obtained from-summed image differential-phase-contrast images of the domains. A model is p roposed to calculate the resulting magnetoresistance. The calculated d ata are in good agreement with the experimental magnetoresistance meas ured during observation of the magnetization reversal mechanism. [S016 3-1829(98)50526-7].