Tunneling magnetoresistance of silicon chains

Journal Article · Sat May 28 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4951707· OSTI ID:22596732

Matsuura, Yukihito ^[1]

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1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Nara National College of Technology, Yatacho 22, Yamato-Koriyama, Nara 639-1080 (Japan)

The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of a silicon chain sandwiched between nickel electrodes was examined by using first-principles density functional theory. The relative orientation of the magnetization in a parallel-alignment (PA) configuration of two nickel electrodes enhanced the current with a bias less than 0.4 V compared with that in an antiparallel-alignment configuration. Consequently, the silicon chain-nickel electrodes yielded good TMR characteristics. In addition, there was polarized spin current in the PA configuration. The spin polarization of sulfur atoms functioning as a linking bridge between the chain and nickel electrode played an important role in the magnetic effects of the electric current. Moreover, the hybridization of the sulfur 3p orbital and σ-conjugated silicon 3p orbital contributed to increasing the total current.

• OSTI ID: 22596732
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 119, Issue 20; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALIGNMENT
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONFIGURATION
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL METHOD
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRODES
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETORESISTANCE
NICKEL
SILICON
SPIN
SPIN ORIENTATION
SULFUR
TUNNEL EFFECT