Influence of grain size on the transport properties of Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20/ and Cu thin films

The conductivity of sputtered Ta/Cu/Ta and Ta/Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20//Ta thin films was measured for a film thickness ranging from 20 to 1500 /spl Aring/. The measured data were analyzed using a semi-classical model for the electron transport, that includes grain boundary scattering, It was found that in these films grain boundaries are an important source of electron scattering, in Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20/ leading to an effective spin dependence of the scattering which is considerably. Smaller than the intrinsic spin dependence of the scattering.