Isotropic positive magnetoresistance in Co-Al2On nanocomposites

The magnetotransport properties of Cox(Al2On)100 − x nanocomposites were studied in a wide concentration range (34 ≤ x ≤ 74 at %). Negative tunnel magnetoresistance reaching 6.5% in a field of 10 kOe was established. In addition to the negative magnetoresistance, the Cox(Al2On)100 − x composites were found to exhibit positive magnetoresistance reaching 1.5% in fields of 10 kOe over the concentration range corresponding to the percolation threshold (54 ≤ x ≤ 67 at %). The positive magnetoresistance is assumed to be due to the simultaneous existence in the composite structure of clusters and individual nanoparticles characterized by different values of the magnetic anisotropy and due to the dipole-dipole interaction between the clusters and nearest neighbor particles.