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Magnetoresistance from quantum interference effects in ferromagnets

Nature volume 404, pages 581–584 (2000)Cite this article

An Addendum to this article was published on 30 November 2000

Abstract

The desire to maximize the sensitivity of read/write heads (and thus the information density) of magnetic storage devices has stimulated interest in the discovery and design of new magnetic materials exhibiting magnetoresistance. Recent discoveries include the ‘colossal’ magnetoresistance in the manganites1,2,3,4 and the enhanced magnetoresistance in low-carrier-density ferromagnets4,5,6. An important feature of these systems is that the electrons involved in electrical conduction are different from those responsible for the magnetism. The latter are localized and act as scattering sites for the mobile electrons, and it is the field tuning of the scattering strength that ultimately gives rise to the observed magnetoresistance. Here we argue that magnetoresistance can arise by a different mechanism in certain ferromagnets—quantum interference effects rather than simple scattering. The ferromagnets in question are disordered, low-carrier-density magnets where the same electrons are responsible for both the magnetic properties and electrical conduction. The resulting magnetoresistance is positive (that is, the resistance increases in response to an applied magnetic field) and only weakly temperature-dependent below the Curie point.

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Figure 1: Phase diagram of Fe1-xMnxSi and Fe1-yCoySi.
Figure 2: Temperature dependence.
Figure 3: Field dependence of magnetoresistance and magnetization.
Figure 4: Magnetotransport.

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Acknowledgements

We thank E. Abrahams, P.W. Adams, D.A. Browne, P. Littlewood and A. Ruckenstein for discussions. J.F.D. acknowledges the support of the Louisiana Board of Regents. J.F.D. and Z.F. acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation.

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Author notes

  1. D.P. Young & Z. Fisk

    Present address: National High Magnetic Field Facility, Florida State University, Tallahassee, 32306, Florida, USA

  2. Y. Sidis

    Present address: Laboratoire L’eon Brillouin, CEA-CNRS, CE Saclay, 91191, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 70803, Louisiana, USA

    N. Manyala, Y. Sidis & J. F. DiTusa

  2. NEC, 4 Independence Way, Princeton, 08540, New Jersey, USA

    G. Aeppli

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  1. N. Manyala
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Correspondence to J. F. DiTusa.

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Manyala, N., Sidis, Y., DiTusa, J. et al. Magnetoresistance from quantum interference effects in ferromagnets. Nature 404, 581–584 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35007030

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