Measurement of magnetoresistance effects in nanoscale metallic conductors

The magnetic characterization of nanoscale magnetic structures is one of the main prerequisites for the development of magnetoelectric memories and sensors. Here we present magnetoresistance effects of nanostructured metallic films and particles, which can exhibit anisotropic magnetoresistance or giant magnetoresistance effects. The structures are built from a variety of materials and they are measured at low tem- peratures in magnetic fields up to 1.5 T. We correlate the microscopic structure of the materials with the observed magnetic properties. Thus, a deeper understanding of switching and storage of the magnetic state in such nanostructures can be gained.