Transverse Magnetoresistivity Anisotropy Measurements and the Geometrical Size Effect in Nickel Thin Films

The transverse magnetoresistivity anisotropy in both polycrystalline and single-crystal nickel films have been measured at room, liquid-nitrogen, and liquid-helium temperatures. A correction for the demagnetization field effect has been performed on the measured data. The size effects in nickel thin films have been estimated from the corrected results. It is found that these size effects depend on the electronic structure of the material and cannot be explained by the present theories of the electron conduction phenomena in thin films.