Spin-polarized tunneling in hybrid metal-semiconductor magnetic tunnel junctions

S. H. Chun; S. J. Potashnik; K. C. Ku; P. Schiffer; N. Samarth

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.66.100408

Spin-polarized tunneling in hybrid metal-semiconductor magnetic tunnel junctions

S. H. Chun, S. J. Potashnik, K. C. Ku, P. Schiffer, N. Samarth

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

86 Scopus citations

Abstract

We demonstrate efficient spin-polarized tunneling between a ferromagnetic metal and a ferromagnetic semiconductor with highly mismatched conductivities. This is indicated by a large tunneling magnetoresistance (up to 30%) at low temperatures in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions composed of a ferromagnetic metal (MnAs) and a ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga_1-xMn_xAs) separated by a nonmagnetic semiconductor (AlAs). Analysis of the current-voltage characteristics yields detailed information about the asymmetric tunnel barrier. The low temperature conductance-voltage characteristics show a zero bias anomaly and a √V dependence of the conductance, suggesting a correlation gap in the density of states of Ga_1-xMn_xAs. These experiments suggest that MnAs/AlAs heterostructures offer well characterized tunnel junctions for high efficiency spin injection into GaAs.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	100408
Pages (from-to)	1004081-1004084
Number of pages	4
Journal	Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume	66
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.66.100408
State	Published - Sep 1 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics

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10.1103/PhysRevB.66.100408

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title = "Spin-polarized tunneling in hybrid metal-semiconductor magnetic tunnel junctions",

abstract = "We demonstrate efficient spin-polarized tunneling between a ferromagnetic metal and a ferromagnetic semiconductor with highly mismatched conductivities. This is indicated by a large tunneling magnetoresistance (up to 30\%) at low temperatures in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions composed of a ferromagnetic metal (MnAs) and a ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga1-xMnxAs) separated by a nonmagnetic semiconductor (AlAs). Analysis of the current-voltage characteristics yields detailed information about the asymmetric tunnel barrier. The low temperature conductance-voltage characteristics show a zero bias anomaly and a √V dependence of the conductance, suggesting a correlation gap in the density of states of Ga1-xMnxAs. These experiments suggest that MnAs/AlAs heterostructures offer well characterized tunnel junctions for high efficiency spin injection into GaAs.",

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T1 - Spin-polarized tunneling in hybrid metal-semiconductor magnetic tunnel junctions

AU - Chun, S. H.

AU - Potashnik, S. J.

AU - Ku, K. C.

AU - Schiffer, P.

AU - Samarth, N.

PY - 2002/9/1

Y1 - 2002/9/1

N2 - We demonstrate efficient spin-polarized tunneling between a ferromagnetic metal and a ferromagnetic semiconductor with highly mismatched conductivities. This is indicated by a large tunneling magnetoresistance (up to 30%) at low temperatures in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions composed of a ferromagnetic metal (MnAs) and a ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga1-xMnxAs) separated by a nonmagnetic semiconductor (AlAs). Analysis of the current-voltage characteristics yields detailed information about the asymmetric tunnel barrier. The low temperature conductance-voltage characteristics show a zero bias anomaly and a √V dependence of the conductance, suggesting a correlation gap in the density of states of Ga1-xMnxAs. These experiments suggest that MnAs/AlAs heterostructures offer well characterized tunnel junctions for high efficiency spin injection into GaAs.

AB - We demonstrate efficient spin-polarized tunneling between a ferromagnetic metal and a ferromagnetic semiconductor with highly mismatched conductivities. This is indicated by a large tunneling magnetoresistance (up to 30%) at low temperatures in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions composed of a ferromagnetic metal (MnAs) and a ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga1-xMnxAs) separated by a nonmagnetic semiconductor (AlAs). Analysis of the current-voltage characteristics yields detailed information about the asymmetric tunnel barrier. The low temperature conductance-voltage characteristics show a zero bias anomaly and a √V dependence of the conductance, suggesting a correlation gap in the density of states of Ga1-xMnxAs. These experiments suggest that MnAs/AlAs heterostructures offer well characterized tunnel junctions for high efficiency spin injection into GaAs.

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JF - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

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Spin-polarized tunneling in hybrid metal-semiconductor magnetic tunnel junctions

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