Noncollinear Magnetic Order in a Dysprosium Layer and Magnetotransport Properties of a Spin Valve Containing the CoFe/Dy/CoFe Structure

Spin valves comprising a synthetic antiferromagnet and a CoFe/Dy/CoFe structure in the pinned layer were prepared by magnetron sputtering. It is shown that the Dy layer is characterized by crystallites, the [0002] direction of which is perpendicular to the film plane; a part of nanostructure, in which the spin-dependent electron scattering occurs, is characterized by smooth interfaces. Variations of magnetotransport properties of the spin valve, which are due to the formation of antiferromagnetic order in the dysprosium layer, are observed. Peculiarities of noncollinear magnetic order of the Dy layer were found to depend on the direction of magnetic moments of adjacent layers and magnetic field strength when passing through the Neel temperature.