Interlayer exchange coupling and giant magnetoresistance in magnetic multilayers

Abstract

An introduction is given on the subject of magnetic metallic multilayers. These artificial structures appear to display several fascinating physical phenomonena which are of fundamental as well as technological interest. Two examples, the magnetic coupling between ferromagnetic layers across a non-magnetic spacer layer and the giant magnetoresistance are emphasized in this article. For each of these, key experimental observations are reviewed followed by a discussion of the physical principles underlying the phenomenon.