Romera Rabasa, Miguel ÁlvaroMuñoz García, MercedesSánchez, P.Aroca, C.Prieto, J. L.2024-01-292024-01-292009-07-15M. Romera, M. Muñoz, P. Sánchez, C. Aroca, J. L. Prieto; Influence on the magnetoresistance of a spin valve due to the insertion of an ultrathin Gd layer in the free layer. J. Appl. Phys. 15 July 2009; 106 (2): 023922. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.31735800021-897910.1063/1.3173580https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/95940The effect of inserting an ultrathin Gd layer (1-2 nm) in the free layer of a Permalloy-based spin valve has been investigated. In the current in-plane configuration, samples with Gd show a reduced magnetoresistance (MR) value, which tends to zero as Gd gets closer to the nonmagnetic spacer, although good MR values can be sustained when Gd is more than 5 nm away from the spacer. We studied also the effect of adding thin Fe layers around Gd in order to avoid Gd diffusion within the Permalloy. Samples with an Fe/Gd/Fe trilayer inserted in the free layer show some improvement at low temperatures over those without Fe, although the Fe introduces some detrimental additional roughness. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3173580]engjournal article1089-7550https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3173580restricted access538.9Física del estado sólido2211.17 Propiedades Magnéticas