Giant magnetoresistance effect in multilayered wire arrays

Three wire arrays, each comprised of a different type of giant magnetoresistive (GMR) multilayer, were fabricated by high-resolution electron-beam lithography and lift-off techniques. With a GMR multilayer of the biquadratic-coupling type, a magnetic field applied parallel to the wires produced a larger MR change and higher response than in the corresponding unpatterned multilayered film; however, the wire structures worsened the MR characteristics of two other types of GMR multilayers.