A way to measure electron spin-flipping at F/N interfaces and application to Co/Cu

We describe a technique, using the current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) geometry, to measure the parameter delta(F/N), characterizing flipping of electron spins at a ferromagnetic/non-magnetic (F/N) metallic interface. The technique involves measuring the CPP magnetoresistance of a sample containing a ferromagnetically coupled [F/N]x n multilayer embedded within the 20 nm thick central Cu layer of a symmetric Py-based, double exchange-biased spin-valve. To focus on delta(F/N), the F- and N-layers are made thin compared to their spin-diffusion lengths. We test the technique using F/N = Co/Cu. Analysing with no adjustable parameters, gives inconsistency with delta(Co/Cu) = 0, but consistency with our prior value of delta(Co/Cu) = 0.25 (+/- 0.1). Taking delta(Co/Cu) as adjustable gives delta(Co/Cu) = 0.33 (+0.03/-0.08).

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