Phys. Rev. Lett. Phys. Rev. A Phys. Rev. B Phys. Rev. C Phys. Rev. D Phys. Rev. E Phys. Rev. ST AB Rev. Mod. Phys. Phys. Rev. (Series I) Phys. Rev. Volume: Page/Article:

Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 2996–2999 (1995)

[Issue 16 – 16 October 1995 ]

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Ab Initio Calculations of the Giant Magnetoresistance

P. Zahn and I. Mertig

Technische Universität Dresden, Institut für Theoretische Physik, D-01062 Dresden, Germany

M. Richter and H. Eschrig

Technische Universität Dresden, MPG-Arbeitsgruppe "Elektronensysteme" D-01062 Dresden, Germany

Ab initio calculations are presented for the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) of Fe/Cr multilayers. The electronic structure of Fe/Cr superlattices is calculated within the spin density functional theory. The spin-dependent bulk impurity scattering is treated in a fully quantum mechanical way using a Green function formalism. The transport is described quasiclassically. The calculations suggest that the GMR in thin multilayers is mainly determined by the electronic structure of the layered system. Spin-dependent impurity scattering can reduce, increase, or invert the effect.

©1995 The American Physical Society

URL: http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v75/p2996
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.75.2996
PACS: 75.50.Rr, 71.25.Pi, 72.15.Gd

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