Anisotropic tunneling magnetoresistance in GaMnAs/AlAs/GaMnAs ferromagnetic semiconductor tunnel junctions

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1357832· OSTI ID:40203858

Higo, Y; Shimizu, H; Tanaka, M

We have observed very large tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) in Ga{sub 1{minus}x}Mn{sub x}As/AlAs/Ga{sub 1{minus}x}Mn{sub x}As ferromagnetic semiconductor tunnel junctions. A TMR ratio as high as 75% was obtained in a junction with a thin (1.5 nm) AlAs tunnel barrier when the magnetic field was applied along the [100] axis in the film plane. The TMR ratio decreased when the applied magnetic field direction was along the [1{bar 1}0] and [110]. This anisotropic TMR was found to be explained by the single-domain theory assuming cubic magnetic anisotropy with the easy axis of {l_angle}100{r_angle}, which is induced by the zincblende-type Ga{sub 1{minus}x}Mn{sub x}As crystal structure. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.

• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• OSTI ID: 40203858
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 89; ISSN 0021-8979
• Publisher: The American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETORESISTANCE
PHYSICS
TUNNELING