A superlattice effect in the resistivity of multilayers

Author

Choy, Tat-Sang ; Chen, Jian ; Hershfield, Selman

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys., Florida Univ., Gainesville, FL, USA

Volume

34

Issue

4

fYear

1998

fDate

7/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

933

Lastpage

935

Abstract

Calculations are presented of a superlattice effect, observable in samples where most of the scattering is at sharp interfaces. As the layer thicknesses change, oscillations in the resistivity of up to 100% are found. These oscillations are due to interface disorder breaking the degeneracy of certain states, causing them to have nodes at the interfaces. The states with nodes have high conductivities, leading to a “short-circuit” effect. Only for special thicknesses is it possible for a state to have nodes at all the interfaces. Hence, the oscillations occur as a function of layer thickness. Spreading the width of the interfaces or increasing the ratio of bulk disorder to interface disorder reduces the effect

Keywords

electrical resistivity; interface states; magnetic multilayers; metallic superlattices; interface disorder; interface width; layer thickness; magnetic multilayers; resistivity; short-circuit effect; superlattice effect; Conductivity; Fluctuations; Inorganic materials; Lattices; Magnetic multilayers; Magnetic superlattices; Nonhomogeneous media; Physics; Scattering; Semiconductor superlattices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.706318

Filename

706318