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

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Physical Review B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.134449· OSTI ID:1001722

Zhang, J. ^[1]; Wang, Y. ^[1]; Zhang, Xiaoguang ^[2]; Han, Prof. X. F. ^[1]

---

1. Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science
2. ORNL

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.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1001722
• Journal Information: Physical Review B, Journal Name: Physical Review B Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 82; ISSN 1098-0121; ISSN 1550-235X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
MAGNETORESISTANCE
OSCILLATIONS
THICKNESS
TUNNELING