Magnetoresistance - definition
Magnetoresistance - definition
Magnetoresistance is a physical phenomenon involving a change in the electrical resistance of a conductive material under the influence of an external magnetic field. This effect occurs in some metals, Semiconductors and magnetic materials and is due to a modification of the trajectory of the motion of conduction electrons, which in the presence of a magnetic field move along curved paths, increasing the effective diffusion path.
The magnetoresistance phenomenon was first observed in metals, where the application of a field perpendicular to the direction of current flow causes an increase in electrical resistance. Its intensity depends on the geometry of the sample, the field strength and the electron properties of the material. In classical terms, magnetoresistance is described as the result of the Lorentz force, which curves the paths of the charge carriers, leading to an increase in their dissipation.
Others use different variations of magnetoresistance in technology, including anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR), found in thin-film ferromagnetic materials, and gigantic magnetoresistance (GMR), the discovery of which revolutionised magnetic recording technology. In the case of GMR, the changes in resistance are much larger and depend on the relative orientation of the magnetic moments of neighbouring layers, which has enabled the development of precision field sensors and modern data readout heads.
The magnetoresistance phenomenon is used, among other things, in Position Sensors, Encoders, speed measurement devices and MRAMs, where the variation in resistance enables binary representation of data. Due to their sensitivity to the magnetic field and their small size, magnetoresistance-based measurement structures are finding applications in microsystems and consumer electronics. Research into new magnetoresistive materials is also embracing quantum phenomena, leading to the development of spintronics and hybrid circuits the next generation.
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