Perpendicular Electrical Conduction in Cobalt/Manganese Multilayer Films

The electrical resistivity and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of cobalt/manganese multilayer films have been studied in the temperature range 295-483K. Two sets of films are investigated, one with constant number of double layers and increasing bilayer wavelength Lambda in the range 4-12 nm, and the other with constant Lambda and varying number of double layers eta in the range 5-30. The bilayer wavelength dependence of room temperature resistivity rho sub RT and TCR exhibits oscillatory behaviour. The TCR is found to be proportional to the inverse of the bilayer wavelength. The experimental results are analysed in the light of Mayadas--Shatzkes model.