LARGE MAGNETORESISTANCE IN AN AMORPHOUS CO68.1FE4.4SI12.5B15 FERROMAGNETIC WIRE

Magnetoresistance and magnetization of an amorphous ferromagnetic wire having nominal composition Co68.1Fe4.4Si12.5B15 are measured from 77 to 300 K and in the presence of tensile stress sigma (0 less-than-or-equal-to sigma less-than-or-equal-to 240 MPa). A large negative magnetoresistance is observed with accompanying hysteresis. The maximum change in resistance that occurs at small field increases from 8.8% at sigma=0 to 12.2% at sigma=240 MPa; this occurs at 300 K but the change is much reduced with the decrease of temperature. The results are discussed in terms of the scattering of carriers by a domain wall and it is suggested that the magnetization reversal is mainly due to coherent rotation.