Band structure and density of States effects in co-based magnetic tunnel junctions.
Utilizing Co/Al(2)O(3)/Co magnetic tunnel junctions with Co electrodes of different crystalline phases, a clear relationship between electrode crystal structure and junction transport properties is presented. For junctions with one fcc(111) textured and one polycrystalline (polyphase and polydirectional) Co electrode, a strong asymmetry is observed in the magnetotransport properties, while when both electrodes are polycrystalline the magnetotransport is essentially symmetric. These observations are successfully explained within a model based on ballistic tunneling between the calculated band structures (density of states) of fcc-Co and hcp-Co.
LeClair
P
P
Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Kohlhepp
J T
JT
van De Vin
C H
CH
Wieldraaijer
H
H
Swagten
H J M
HJ
de Jonge
W J M
WJ
Davis
A H
AH
MacLaren
J M
JM
Moodera
J S
JS
Jansen
R
R