Spin-wave mediated quantum corrections to the conductivity in thin ferromagnetic gadolinium films

TL;DR

This paper investigates how spin-wave excitations influence quantum corrections to electrical conductivity in thin ferromagnetic gadolinium films, revealing a linear temperature dependence attributed to spin-wave mediated effects.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of a spin-wave mediated quantum correction causing a linear temperature dependence in conductivity, extending understanding of quantum effects in ferromagnetic thin films.

Findings

Linear temperature dependence of conductivity observed at low temperatures.

Spin-wave mediated correction explains deviations from standard quantum corrections.

Quantum corrections are significant in films thinner than 135 Å.

Abstract

We present a study of quantum corrections to the conductivity of thin ferromagnetic gadolinium films. In situ magneto-transport measurements were performed on a series of thin films with thickness d < 135A. For sheet resistances R0 < 4011 Ohm and temperatures T < 30K, we observe a linear temperature dependence of the conductivity in addition to the logarithmic temperature dependence expected from well known quantum corrections in two dimensions. We show that such a linear T-dependence can arise from a spin-wave mediated Altshuler-Aronov type correction.