Search

Epitaxially grown intermetallic RFe2 (R = Dy, Er, Y) thin films have been studied by point contact Andreev reflection. Spin polarization values were extracted by fitting normalized conductance curves for mechanical Nb/RFe2 point contacts, using a modified Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model. Good agreement is found between this model and the experimentally obtained data. Extracted values of spin polarization, which are close to the spin polarization of Fe, reveal no variation with the rare earth component for the measured intermetallic compounds. This suggests that using this technique we probe the Fe sub-lattice, and that this lattice drives spintronic effects in these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate spin-filtering effect in multilayered ferromagnetic (F)/semiconductor (S) heterostructures within the Landauer framework of ballistic transport. Spin-dependent transmission and polarization are calculated and analyzed for different magnetizations of three ferromagnetic layers in a F/S/F/F structure proposed in this work. The results indicate that in such a multilayered configuration and when the magnetizations of the middle and the right ferromagnetic layers are antiparallel, the transmission for spin-up and spin-down electrons can be separated, which is quite different from the transport properties in the F/S/F structure, where electrons of different spin orientations have exactly the same contributions to transmission if the magnetic moments of the two ferromagnetic layers are antiparallel. It is also shown that the F/S/F/F structure can have big values of the polarization than the F/S/F structure. The quantum size effect of the length of the middle ferromagnetic layer and that of the semiconductor layer are discussed. Moreover, the polarization can be reversed when we switch the magnetizations of the middle and the right ferromagnetic layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present spin transfer switching results for MgO based magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) with large tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of up to 150% and low intrinsic switching current density of 2–3×106 A/cm2. The switching data are compared to those obtained on similar MTJ nanostructures with AlOx barrier. It is observed that the switching current density for MgO based MTJs is 3 to 4 times smaller than that for AlOx based MTJs, and that can be attributed to higher tunneling spin polarization (TSP) in MgO based MTJs. In addition, we report a qualitative study of TSP for a set of samples, ranging from 0.22 for AlOx to 0.46 for MgO based MTJs, and that shows the TSP (at finite bias) responsible for the current-driven magnetization switching is suppressed as compared to zero-bias tunneling spin polarization determined from TMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several polycrystalline samples of the half-Heusler alloy NiMnSb were grown by arc melting of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric amounts of high-purity constituent elements. The structure and the phase-purity of the prepared samples were examined systematically by powder x-ray diffraction. The transport properties of the best sample, with saturation magnetization Ms(5 K)=4 μB/formula unit, were studied by measuring electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity, and thermopower. Features in both magnetic and transport data are consistent with NiMnSb being in a half-metallic state at low temperatures, i.e., the conduction electrons are fully spin polarized. However, point-contact Andreev reflection measurements on the same sample at 4.2 K demonstrate only ∼45% spin polarization. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the magnetization and the magnetic phases of II-VI-based n-doped nonmagnetic- semiconductor (NMS) / narrow to wide dilute-magnetic-semiconductor (DMS) / n-doped NMS quantum wells under in-plane magnetic field. The parallel magnetic field is used as a tool, in order to achieve non-step-like density of states in these -appropriate for conduction-band spintronics- structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The admixture of linear and circular photogalvanic effects and (CPGEs) in AlxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures has been investigated quantitatively by near-infrared irradiation at room temperature. The spin-based photocurrent that the authors have observed solidly indicates the sizable spin-orbital interaction of the two-dimensional electron gas in the heterostructures. Further analysis shows consistency between studies by optical and magnetic (Shubnikov de-Haas) measurements on the spin-orbital coupling effects among different AlxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures, indicating that the CPGE measurement is a good way to investigate the spin splitting and the spin polarization in semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ti-doped SnO2(110) surface has been investigated by using first-principles method with a slab model. The geometrical optimizations and band-structure calculations have been performed for four possible doping models. Our results indicate that the substitution of Ti for sixfold-coordinated Sn atom at the top layer is most energetically favorable. Compared to the undoped surface, those Sn and O atoms located above Ti atom tend to move toward the bulk side. Besides the surface relaxations, the doping of Ti has significant influences on the electronic structures of SnO2(110) surface, including the value and position of minimum band gap, the components of valence and conduction bands, the distributions of the charge densities, and the work function of the surface. Furthermore, the effects introduced by the substitution of Ti atom observed in the experiments can be well explained when the sixfold-coordinated Sn atom at the first layer is replaced by Ti atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricated ∼200 nm thin (001)-oriented films of the ferromagnetic metallic perovskite La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 on single crystal (001)-SrTiO3 substrates by dc-sputtering at high oxygen pressure. The samples feature a Curie temperature TC∼260 K and a magnetic moment μ(T→0 K)∼3 μB per Mn atom. The magnetization loops are nearly square-shaped with a coercive field Hc(5 K)=0.03 T that decreases linearly in temperature down to TC. At low temperature, the magnetization shows a decrease ΔM∼T2 and the resistivity an increase Δρ∼T2 as is expected for itinerant electron ferromagnets where single particle excitations dominate. As a further indication of the high quality of the samples, the resistivity without external magnetic field peaks right at TC with a maximum value ρ(H=0,T=TC) of only ∼2 mΩ cm. The magnetoresistance ratio Δρ/ρ0=[ρ(H,T)-ρ(H=0,T)]/ρ(H=0,T) also reaches its maximum value at TC, with Δρ/ρ0(H=6 T,T=TC)∼-50%. The complete absence of this colossal magnetoresistance effect in the low-temperature limit is a further indication of the high sample quality which may be due to a high degree of oxygenation as a result of our preparation condictions. The relation ρ(H,T)=ρmexp[-M(H,T)/M0] observed below TC as well as the temperature characteristic of the resistivity above TC can both be explained by a simple magnetic polaron hopping tunneling model where the tunneling barrier height depends in a simple way on the relative orientation of the local magnetization at both ends of the hopping path. However, here it must be considered that the polarons completely change their character at TC from large and delocalized to small and highly localized entities. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perovskites Sr2MnRuO6 and LaSrMnRuO6 have been investigated and their properties compared with those of the broader family of A2MRuO6 double perovskites (A=Sr, La; M=Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni). Neutron powder diffraction shows that both phases lack long-range Mn/Ru order. Sr2MnRuO6 exhibits a cooperative Jahn–Teller distortion, conductivity that proceeds via variable-range hopping, and antiferromagnetic (AFM) order (C-type structure, TN≅200K, 2.05(1) μB per transition metal). LaSrMnRuO6 exhibits nearly undistorted octahedra, conductivity that proceeds via diffusion-assisted small-polaron hopping, and ferromagnetic (FM) order ( TC≅220K, 1.60(4) μB transition metal). Band structure calculations show that AFM Mn–O–Ru coupling optimizes polarization of the Ru t2 g orbitals, while FM coupling favors delocalization of the Ru t2 g electrons. The transition from antiferromagnetism to ferromagnetism is linked to a loss of orbital order and stabilized over competing glassy states by delocalization of Ru t2 g electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 207Pb spin echo signal and a 17O-207Pb spin echo double resonance signal were measured in the metallic phase of BaPb1 - xBixO3 oxides (x < 0.15). Constants of indirect homonuclear (207Pb-207Pb) and heteronuclear (17O-207Pb) couplings of nuclear spins through the conduction electron system were determined. Evidence was obtained for the development of a microscopically nonuniform spin-density distribution in Bi-containing oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By combining optical spin injection techniques with transport spectroscopy tools, we demonstrate a spin-photodetector allowing for the electrical measurement and active filtering of conduction band electron spin at room temperature in a simple nonmagnetic GaAsN semiconductor structure. By switching the polarization of the incident light from linear to circular, we observe a spin dependent photoconductivity change reaching up to 40% without the need of an external magnetic field. The spin dependent photoconductivity change relies on the efficient spin filtering effect of conduction band electrons on N-induced Ga self-interstitial deep paramagnetic centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a micromagnetic modeling study of spin transfer (ST) switching in magnetic tunneling junctions (MTJs) and its dependence on thermal effects due to a finite temperature of the MTJ. It is shown that the major effect of temperature is the introduction of nonzero distribution of local magnetization deviation from the easy axis of the free layer. The study of asymmetry between antiparallel (AP) to parallel (P) and P to AP switching is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses key issues concerning the ferromagnetic metal URhGe, whose unconventional state that lies between two distinct spin-polarized states can help reveal the underlying physics behind ferromagnetic superconductors. It also includes information on the unusual superconducting state of URhGe. The issues' implications for superconductivity and physics are also cited.