Spectroscopic Measurement of Spin-dependent Resonant Tunneling through a 3D Disorder: The Case of MnAs/GaAs/MnAs Junctions

V. Garcia, H. Jaffrès, J.-M. George, M. Marangolo, M. Eddrief, and V. H. Etgens
Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 246802 – Published 12 December 2006

Abstract

We propose an analytical model of spin-dependent resonant tunneling through a 3D assembly of localized states (spread out in energy and in space) in a barrier. An inhomogeneous distribution of localized states leads to resonant tunneling magnetoresistance inversion and asymmetric bias dependence as evidenced with a set of experiments with MnAs/GaAs(710nm)/MnAs tunnel junctions. One of the key parameters of our theory is a dimensionless critical exponent β scaling the typical extension of the localized states over the characteristic length scale of the spatial distribution function. Furthermore, we demonstrate, through experiments with localized states introduced preferentially in the middle of the barrier, the influence of an homogeneous distribution on the spin-dependent transport properties.

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  • Received 9 June 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.246802

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

V. Garcia1, H. Jaffrès2, J.-M. George2,*, M. Marangolo1, M. Eddrief1, and V. H. Etgens1

  • 1Institut des NanoSciences de Paris, INSP, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Université Denis Diderot-Paris 7, CNRS UMR 7588, Campus Boucicaut, 140 rue de Lourmel, 75015 Paris, France
  • 2Unité Mixte de Physique CNRS-Thales, Route départementale 128, 91767 Palaiseau Cedex, and Université Paris-Sud 91405, Orsay, France

  • *Electronic address: jean-marie.george@thalesgroup.com

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Vol. 97, Iss. 24 — 15 December 2006

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