High magnetoresistance in sputtered permalloy thin films through growth onseed layers of (Ni0.81Fe0.19)(1-x)Cr-x

The use of a thin (Ni0.81Fe0.19)(1-x)Cr-x seed layer for obtaining high ani sotropic magnetoresistance in Permalloy (Ni0.81Fe0.19) films is reported. T he process yields a high Delta R/R of, for example, 3.2% for 120-Angstrom-t hick NiFe, without high-temperature deposition or annealing, X-ray diffract ion shows that the NiFeCr seed layer causes the formation of large (111) te xtured grains in the Permalloy film, and that the interface between these t wo layers is quite smooth, These both increase the Delta R and reduce the r esistance R in the film, which lead to the high Delta R/R, Also discussed i s the enhanced Delta R/R and thermal stability trilayer magnetoresistive se nsors using this NiFeCr instead of Ta as a spacer.