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arXiv · 2004.03057

Interface-driven giant tunnel magnetoresistance in (111)-oriented junctions

Keisuke Masuda·Hiroyoshi Itoh·Yoshio Miura
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Abstract

We theoretically study the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect in (111)-oriented junctions Co/MgO/Co(111) and Ni/MgO/Ni(111). The Co-based junction is shown to have a TMR ratio over 2000$\%$, which is one order higher than that of the Ni-based one. The high TMR ratio is attributed to the interfacial resonance effect: The interfacial $d$-$p$ antibonding states are formed close to the Fermi level in the majority-spin channel and these states in both interfaces resonate with each other. This differs essentially from the conventional coherent tunneling mechanism of high TMR ratios in Fe(Co)/MgO/Fe(Co)(001).

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Keisuke Masuda, Hiroyoshi Itoh, Yoshio Miura. 2020-04-07. Interface-driven giant tunnel magnetoresistance in (111)-oriented junctions. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.101.144404

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