A Co-SiO2 granular material as a new current confining layer for current-perpendicular-to-plane spin valves

It was confirmed that the confined current paths spin valves (CPP-SVs) employing the Co-SiO
₂
granular layer as the current confining layer show relatively large magnetoresistance (MR) ratio with higher controllerability compared to those with the conventional oxidized metal layer. We expect that the granular type current confining layer makes artificial fabrication of the CCP-CPP structure possible.