Giant magnetoresistance effect in hybrid ferromagnetic-Schottky-metal and semiconductor nanosystem

Abstract: We report on a theoretical investigation of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect in hybrid ferromagnetic-Schottky-metal and semiconductor nanosystem. Experimentally, this GMR device can be realized by the deposition of two ferromagnetic (FM) stripes and one Schottky normal metal (NM) in parallel way on the top of a semiconductor GaAs heterostructure. The GMR effect emanates from the significant transmission difference for electrons tunneling through parallel and antiparallel magnetization configurations of the device, and its magnetoresistance ratio (MR) can reach the order of . Furthermore, it is also shown that the MR of the device depends strongly on the relative location of the Schottky NM stripe between two FM stripes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]