Effect of interfacial scattering on the magnetoresistance of magnetic tunnel junctions

Vedyayev, A. and Ryzhanova, N. and Vlutters, R. and Dieny, B. (1999) Effect of interfacial scattering on the magnetoresistance of magnetic tunnel junctions. Europhysics Letters, 46 (6). pp. 808-814. ISSN 0295-5075

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Abstract:	In theories of electron tunneling between metallic layers, one fundamental question remains: which is the relevant density of states which determines the tunnel current through the barrier? In this letter, the influence of electron scattering at the metal/oxide interface in magnetic tunnel junctions on the tunnel current is addressed from a theoretical point of view. Two contributions to the tunnel current and to the magnetoresistance of these junctions are obtained: one from specular transmission through the barrier which is related to the one-dimensional density of states next to the metal/oxide interface, the other from tunneling assisted by interfacial scattering which depends both on the one-dimensional and three-dimensional density of states. The effect of spin-flip scattering on the impurities is discussed as well.
Item Type:	Article
Copyright:	© 1999 Institute of Physics
Faculty:	Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS)
Research Group:	Transducers Science and Technology (TST)
Link to this item:	http://purl.utwente.nl/publications/61307
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1209/epl/i1999-00336-3
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Metis ID: 111923