Carrier scattering caused by antiparallel coupled magnetic domains in Co/Pd multilayers

Magnetoresistance (MR) characteristics of Co/Pd multilayers were investigated to attain current in-plane (CIP) type of spin valve devices using films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Co/Pd multilayers were prepared by facing targets sputtering apparatus. The background pressure was kept below 5.0 × 10^-7 Torr. [Co(0.2 nm)/Pd(0.6 nm)]_n multilayer were deposited as high coercivity layer at Ar gas pressure P_Ar of 10 mTorr and [Co(0.6 nm)/Pd(4.6 nm)]_n multilayer were deposited as low coercivity layer at Ar gas pressure P_Ar of 5 mTorr. The periodic numbers of Co/Pd bilayers were set at 18 and 6 for [Co(0.2 nm)/Pd(0.6 nm)]_n and [Co(0.6 nm)/Pd(4.6 nm)]_n multilayers.