Spin-valve structures are a type of magnetic sensor that exploit the phenomenon of spin-dependent scattering of electrons. These devices typically consist of two ferromagnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic metallic layer, often referred to as the spacer. When a magnetic field is applied, the relative orientation of the magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers changes, leading to variations in electrical resistance due to the Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) effect.
The key principle behind spin-valve structures is that electrons with spins aligned with the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layers experience lower scattering, resulting in higher conductivity. In contrast, electrons with opposite spins face increased scattering, leading to higher resistance. This change in resistance can be expressed mathematically as:
where is the resistance as a function of magnetic field , is the resistance in the antiparallel state, is the resistance in the parallel state, and is the critical field. Spin-valve structures are widely used in applications such as hard disk drives and magnetic random access memory (MRAM) due to their sensitivity and efficiency.
Start your personalized study experience with acemate today. Sign up for free and find summaries and mock exams for your university.