Multiple spin–flip transitions and stairs-like GMR in Fe/Cr superlattices with uniaxial in-plane anisotropy

Abstract The [ Fe / Cr ] N superlattices with the uniaxial in-plane anisotropy and the stairs-like dependences of magnetization and magnetoresistance on a magnetic field were MBE-grown on special (2 1 1)MgO substrates. It is shown that the “steps” on the M ( H ) and Δ R / R ( H ) dependences are results of the multiple spin–flip transitions, i.e. 180°-reorientation of magnetic moments of ferromagnetic sublayers in the superlattices. The transitions are found to be very sensitive to small variations of the Cr layers thickness.