Magnetoresistance response of cobalt nanocontacts between extended magnetic electrodes

The magnetoresistance response of cobalt nanocontacts with varying geometries formed between two extended electrodes has been experimentally investigated and linked to micromagnetic simulations. The contribution of the nanoconstriction to the measured magnetoresistance signal has been separated from that of the electrode bulk. The different nanocontact geometries exhibit different shape anisotropies resulting in a characteristic behavior of the magnetization at each nanocontact. The magnetization reversal processes are explained on the basis of the anisotropic magnetoresistance and domain wall scattering effects. The domain wall resistance takes positive values, which is in agreement with models based on the spin mistracking inside the domain wall.