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Title: Inverse and oscillatory magnetoresistance in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions

Abstract

The effect of Cr(001) insertion layers in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) is studied from first-principles. It is shown that with the increase of the Cr(001) layer thickness, the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) first decreases rapidly and then oscillates with a two-monolayer period. At some thicknesses, the oscillation leads to a sign reversal of the TMR. The oscillatory interfacial Cr moment at the Cr-MgO interface as a function of the Cr layer thickness, which arises from the layer-anti-ferromagnetic ordering of Cr, is the cause for the oscillatory TMR.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science
  2. ORNL
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1001722
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review B
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 82; Journal Issue: 13; Journal ID: ISSN 1098--0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; MAGNETORESISTANCE; OSCILLATIONS; THICKNESS; TUNNELING

Citation Formats

Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, Xiaoguang, and Han, Prof. X. F. Inverse and oscillatory magnetoresistance in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.82.134449.
Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, Xiaoguang, & Han, Prof. X. F. Inverse and oscillatory magnetoresistance in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.134449
Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, Xiaoguang, and Han, Prof. X. F. 2010. "Inverse and oscillatory magnetoresistance in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.134449.
@article{osti_1001722,
title = {Inverse and oscillatory magnetoresistance in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunnel junctions},
author = {Zhang, J. and Wang, Y. and Zhang, Xiaoguang and Han, Prof. X. F.},
abstractNote = {The effect of Cr(001) insertion layers in Fe(001)/MgO/Cr/Fe magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) is studied from first-principles. It is shown that with the increase of the Cr(001) layer thickness, the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) first decreases rapidly and then oscillates with a two-monolayer period. At some thicknesses, the oscillation leads to a sign reversal of the TMR. The oscillatory interfacial Cr moment at the Cr-MgO interface as a function of the Cr layer thickness, which arises from the layer-anti-ferromagnetic ordering of Cr, is the cause for the oscillatory TMR.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.82.134449},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1001722}, journal = {Physical Review B},
issn = {1098--0121},
number = 13,
volume = 82,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}