Magnetic properties and giant magnetoresistance effect of nanometer Fe?In2O3 granular films

Nanometer ferromagnetic metal-semiconductor matrix Fe−In₂O₃ granular films are fabricated by the radio frequency sputtering. Magnetic properties and the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect of Fe_x(In₂O₃)_1−x granular film samples are studied. The result shows that the magnetoresistance (MR) ratio Δρ/ρ ₀ value of the granular film samples with Fe volume fraction x=35% is 4.5% at room temperature. The temperature dependence (T=1.5–300 K) of the MR ratio Δρ/ρ ₀ value of Fe_0.35(In₂O₃)_0.65 granular films shows that Δρ/ρ ₀ value below 10 K increases rapidly with the decrease of the temperature, and when T=2 K, Δρ/ρ ₀ value is 85%. Through the study of the dependence of low field susceptibility on temperature and the hysteresis loops at different temperatures, it has been found that, when the temperature decreases to a critical point T _p=10 K, the change of the structure in Fe_0.35)In₂O₃)_0.65 granular films results in the transformation of state from ferromagnetic to spin-glass-like. The remarkable increase of the MR ratio Δρ/ρ ₀ value of Fe_0.35(In₂O₃)_0.65 granular films below 10 K seems to arise from the peculiar conducting mechanism of the granular film samples in the spin-glass-like state.