Heat conduction of (111) Co/Cu superlattices

We report the observation of a large negative magnetothermal resistance in (111) Co/Cu superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) techniques. The observed field dependence is proportional to that of the electrical resistance, in accordance with the Wiedemann–Franz law. The Lorentz number deduced from the measurements is (2.7±0.3)×10−8 V2/K2. The magnetothermopower also shows a similar correlation with resistivity. These findings reveal that large-angle elastic scattering of conduction electrons, arising from a spin-dependent density of states at the Fermi level, is the dominant process responsible for the observed large magnetotransport effects. In zero field, both electrons and phonons contribute to the thermal conduction of the MBE-grown Co/Cu system, at a ratio of about 1:2 near 300 K becoming nearly equal below 150 K.