We report the dependence of giant magnetoresistance on the number of bilayer repeats in a Co/Cu (001) multilayer. Starting from spin-density functional theory, the electronic structure is described by means of a screened Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method for freestanding multilayer slabs. The in-plane transport is calculated solving the linearized Boltzmann equation in relaxation-time approximation. It is shown that the length scale on which giant magnetoresistance rises is not caused by the intrinsic finite-size effects of the multilayer slab, but by diffusive surface scattering.

• Received 11 December 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.64.094408