Angular dependence of the tunnel magnetoresistance in transition-metal-based junctions - art. no. 064427

We have investigated the angular behavior of the tunnel magnetoresistance ( TMR) in transition-metal-based junctions using the low-field susceptibility of the crossed magnetic configuration. The noncollinear arrangement, stabi lized by combining step anisotropy and interfacial exchange-bias coupling, is shown to be of a particular interest for an accurate analysis of the ang ular dependence of the TMR. We show that the intrinsic tunnel processes are reflected on a linear behavior of the conductivity giving a more complex f orm for the resistance, as expected by the model of Slonczewski. The more i ntuitive "high-field" saturating regime deviates the hard layer from its no minal pinning direction and consequently is shown to be less adapted for th e experimental study of the intrinsic angular response of the TMR.