Spin valve for use as magnetic field sensor or computer storage element, has magnetic field alignment in its magnetic layers that causes specular reflection of the electrons at the interfaces with the conducting layer

摘要

Spin valve device with a non-magnetic conducting layer (NM) sandwiched between first (R) and second (R') magnetic layers. The alignment of the magnetic fields in the magnetic fields is such that at the interface with the non-magnetic layer, one or both cause specular reflection of the conducting electrons. The direction of reflection is dependent on the direction of the electron spin relative to the direction of magnetization.