The spin-valve transistor - A new magnetoelectronic device

A spin-valve transistor showing high sensitivity at low fields was devel- oped. A large magnetocurrent, above 500% is realized by a magnetic field change of 2 to 4 Oe at 80 K. Hot electrons are injected into the spin-valve layer through a Si—Pt Schottky diode. These hot electrons, while traversing through the spin-valve, are spin-dependently scattered. Those electrons with right energy and momentum are collected by a collector (an Au—Si Schottky diode) constituting a collector current. The relative orientation of the mag- netic layer in the spin-valve is changed by the application of a magnetic field and causes a change in collector current giving a large magnetocurrent.