Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T09:58:22.906Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Which states contribute to the tunneling current for large barrier thicknesses?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Christian Heiliger ,
Peter Zahn  and
Ingrid Mertig
Christian Heiliger
Affiliation:
[email protected], Martin Luther University, Department of Physics, Von-Seckendorff-Platz 1, D-06120 Halle, Halle, N/A, N/A, Germany
Peter Zahn
Affiliation:
[email protected], Martin Luther University, Department of Physics, D-06099 Halle, N/A, N/A, Germany
Ingrid Mertig
Affiliation:
[email protected], Martin Luther University, Department of Physics, D-06099 Halle, N/A, N/A, Germany
Get access

Abstract

The transport properties of planar Fe/MgO/Fe tunnel junctions are investigated theoretically by means of ab initio calculations. In particular, the k||-resolved conductance in dependence on the barrier thickness, the interface structure, and the magnetic configuration is studied. The results show that the number of states in the k||-space contributing significantly to the overall current is decreasing with increasing barrier thickness as expected. In contrast to simple parabolic band models the contribution of states in the vicinity of k||=0, however, is only involved for a few considered configurations of the system Fe/MgO/Fe.

Keywords

magnetoresistance (transport)crystallinemagnetic
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 941: Symposium Q – Magnetic Thin Films, Heterostructures, and Device Materials , 2006 , 0941-Q03-05
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Yuasa, S., Nagahama, T., Fukushima, A., Suzuki, Y., and Ando, K., Nature Materials 3 868 (2004).Google Scholar
2 Parkin, S.S.P., Kaiser, C., Panchula, A., Rice, P.M., Hughes, B., Samant, M., and Yang, S.H., Nature Materials 3 862 (2004).Google Scholar
3 Meyerheim, H.L., Popescu, R., Jedrecy, N., Vedpathak, M., Sauvage-Simkin, M., Pinchaux, R., Heinrich, B., and Kirschner, J., Phys. Rev. B 65 144433 (2002).Google Scholar
4 Tusche, C., Meyerheim, H. L., Jedrecy, N., Renaud, G., Ernst, A., Henk, J., Bruno, P., and Kirschner, J., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95 176101 (2005).Google Scholar
5 Zhang, C., Zhang, X.G., Krstiæ, P.S., Cheng, H.p., Butler, W.H., and MacLaren, J.M., Phys. Rev. B 69 134406 (2004).Google Scholar
6 Heiliger, C., Zahn, P., Yavorsky, B. Yu., and Mertig, I., Phys. Rev. B 72 180406 (2005).Google Scholar
7 Tiusan, C., Faure-Vincent, J., Bellouard, C., Hehn, M., Jouguelet, E., and Schuhl, A., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 106602 (2004).Google Scholar
8 Landauer, R., Z. Physik B 68 217 (1987).Google Scholar
9 Baranger, H.U. and Stone, A.D., Phys. Rev. B 40 8169 (1989).Google Scholar
9 Mavropoulos, Ph., Papanikolaou, N., and Dederichs, P.H., Phys. Rev. B 69 125104 (2004).Google Scholar