Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 2152-2155 (1991)

                                                                                   [Issue 16 - April 1991 ]

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Oscillatory magnetic exchange coupling through thin copper layers

       S. S. P. Parkin, R. Bhadra, and K. P. Roche 
       IBM Research Division, Almaden Research Center, 650 Harry Road, San Jose, California 95120-6099

Received 24 September 1990

Confirming theoretical predictions more than 25 years old, we show that Co slabs are indirectly exchange coupled via thin Cu layers with a coupling that alternates back and forth between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic.
Four oscillations are observed with a period of ~=10 Å. Moreover, the antiferromagnetically coupled Co/Cu superlattices exhibit extraordinarily large saturation magnetoresistances at 300 K of more than 65%.

©1991 The American Physical Society

URL: http://publish.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v66/p2152
PACS: 75.50.Rr, 72.15.Gd, 75.70.Cn