Spin-dependent conductivity of nanosized magnetic inhomogeneities

Spin-dependent scattering (SDS) originates at the interface between magnetic (M) and non-magnetic (NM) regions, and gives rise to the giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR), that is observed when M and NM regions are interleaved at the nanoscale level. The GMR intensity, i.e. the change in resistivity observed due to the application of an external magnetic field, is affected by the SDS strength that, in its turn, is inversely proportional to the lateral size of the magnetic regions [1]. Such a lateral scale is the effective size of the magnetic regions [2], Deff, that is the result of the effect of magnetic interactions on the real size of the magnetic regions, D. Similarly, if the magnetic morphology of the system is not uniform, the SDS strength changes with the lateral scale of the magnetization inhomogeneities [3]. The dependence of GMR on the external field is the counterpart of Deff, so direct indications about D are not easily accessed. However, if we resort to the GMR efficiency, gamma, [4], i.e. the change in GMR for a unit change of squared magnetization, the comparison between the values of gamma measured at low and at high applied field as a function of Deff enables one to evidence D with respect to Deff. Indeed, if Deff is larger than D, as soon as the external applied field overcomes the effect of magnetic interactions, the efficiency of the magnetic structure is expected to change, as the large effective magnetic volumes break into smaller parts. As a consequence of that, the lateral scale of the system decreases, and gamma is expected to increase accordingly. In this work, we study different FexAg1-x nanogranular systems, where x is the relative Fe atomic concentration, 0.1 < x < 0.5. Under equilibrium conditions, Fe and Ag are not miscible, so using an out-of-equilibrium technique, in our case dc-magnetron sputtering, we obtain a deep intermixing of the two species. In this way, as a function of x, different samples with a different average magnetic length scale, namely with a different Deff, can be produced [3]. The evolution of the magnetic morphology of the systems was followed with zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization measurements. Magnetization and GMR loops were recorded at two different temperatures, at 300 K and at 4 K. Indeed they represent two conditions were the contribution of interparticle interactions to systems dynamics is expected to be different. In this way, the effect of Deff can be better appreciated. We present the gamma dependence on x, measured both at low and at high applied field, gamma_L and gamma_H, respectively. For low values of x, gamma_L and gamma_H display the same dependence as a function of x, whilst for higher values gamma_L shows a broad maximum whilst gamma_L has a monotonic dependence that eventually approaches saturation. These data are presented and discussed and compared to magnetization loops and diffraction data in order to give an estimation of the Deff of the different samples. [1] S. Zhang and P. M. Levy, J. Appl. Phys. 73, 5315, 1993. [2] P. Allia, M. Coisson, F. Spizzo, P. Tiberto, F. Vinai, Phys. Rev. B 73 (2006) 054409 [3] P. Vavassori, E. Angeli, D. Bisero, F. Spizzo, F. Ronconi, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 262 (2003) 52 [4] M. Tamisari, F. Spizzo, F. Ronconi, M. Sacerdoti, G. Battaglin, submitted to Journal of Applied Physics.