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Spin-Valve Effect in Magnetic Resonant Tunneling Devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

A. N. Chantis ,
D. O. Demchenko  and
A. G. Petukhov
A. N. Chantis
Affiliation:
Physics Department, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701-3995
D. O. Demchenko
Affiliation:
Physics Department, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701-3995
A. G. Petukhov
Affiliation:
Physics Department, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701-3995
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Abstract

We propose a new electronic device utilizing resonant tunneling between two magnetic materials. The device is comprised of a semiconductor quantum well sandwiched between two insulating barriers and two ferromagnetic electrodes. The situation in which a resonant level fits in the energy interval where the minority density of states of a ferromagnetic emitter is zero can be considered as an almost ideal spin valve and leads to a great enhancement of magnetoresistance. This situation can be achieved by tuning the width of the quantum well. As an example we will consider GaMnAs/AlAs/GaAs/AlAs/GaMnAs double-barrier heterostructure. We can demonstrate that at a certain thickness of the quantum well and the barriers this system can significantly outperform conventional tunneling junctions comprised of one insulating barrier sandwiched between two ferromagnetic electrodes.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 690: Symposium F – Spintronics , 2001 , F7.4
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

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References

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