2000/02/21 by M. Ye. Zhuravlev, Zhuravlev, M. Ye., H. O. Lutz +4
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Magnetic properties of thin films #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall) #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Surface and Thin Film Phenomena #cond-mat.mes-hall
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0002325
9 pages, 8 figures
arxiv created 2000/02/21 · openalex publication_date 2000/02/21 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We calculate the resistivity and Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) of a segmented nanowire consisting of two ferromagnetic segments separated by a thin paramagnetic spacer. The quantization of the electron motion due to the small nanowire cross-section is taken into account; s-d electron scattering gives rise to different mean free paths for spin-up and spin-down s-electrons. The calculated resistivity and GMR oscillate as a function of nanowire cross-section due to the difference in Fermi momenta of d-electrons with opposite spins. The GMR can reach values much higher than those which are obtained for "wires" of infinite cross-section (i.e., a multilayer). Similarly we have calculated the Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) by replacing the paramagnetic spacer with an insulator spacer.