Controlled normal and inverse current-induced magnetization switching and magnetoresistance in magnetic nanopillars.

By combining pairs of ferromagnetic metals with the same or different signs of scattering anisotropies in ferromagnetic-nonmagnetic-ferromagnetic metal nanopillars, we independently invert just the magnetoresistance, just the direction of current-induced magnetization switching, or both together, at room temperature (295 K) and at 4.2 K. In all cases studied, the switching direction is correctly predicted from the net scattering anisotropy of the fixed ferromagnet, including both bulk and interfacial contributions.