GMR in Ni Cu multilayers: an electronic structure study

Ab initio self-consistent semi-relativistic spin-polarized TB-LMTO energy b and calculations have been carried out on Ni/Cu(100) multilayers, to study the in-plane as well as perpendicular to plane giant magnetoresistance (GMR ) effects. The magnetic interaction energies, evaluated as a function of la yer thickness, indicate that the antiferromagnetic ordering is a possible g round state for manifestation of GMR. Using the density of states at Fermi level and the Fermi velocity, GMR has been estimated as a function of the C u spacer thickness.