Strain effects on anisotropic magnetoresistance in a nanowire spin valve

The longitudinal magnetoresistance of a copper nanowire contacted by two cobalt contacts shows broad spin-valve peaks at room temperature. However, when the contacts are slightly heated, the peaks change into troughs which are signature of anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR). Under heating, the differential thermal expansion of the contacts and the substrate generates a small strain in the cobalt contacts which enhances the AMR effect sufficiently to change the peak into a trough. This shows the extreme sensitivity of AMR to strain. The change in the AMR resistivity coefficient due to strain is estimated to be a few m$\Omega$-m/microstrain. (paper)