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Theory of tunneling magnetoresistance in a disordered FeMgOFe(001) junction

J. Mathon and A. Umerski
Phys. Rev. B 74, 140404(R) – Published 20 October 2006

Abstract

Calculation of the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of an FeMgOFe(001) junction with a disordered FeMgO interface is reported. It is shown that intermixing of Fe and Mg atoms at the interface decreases the TMR ratio rapidly and when about 16% of interfacial Fe atoms are substituted by Mg the calculated TMR saturates with increasing MgO thickness in good agreement with experiment. It is demonstrated that the saturation of TMR occurs because interfacial scattering leads to a redistribution of conductance channels, which opens up the perpendicular tunneling channel in the antiferromagnetic configuration that is forbidden for a perfect epitaxial junction.

    • Received 5 July 2006

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.74.140404

    ©2006 American Physical Society

    Authors & Affiliations

    J. Mathon1 and A. Umerski2

    • 1Department of Mathematics, City University, London EC1V 0HB, United Kingdom
    • 2Department of Applied Mathematics, Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom

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    Issue

    Vol. 74, Iss. 14 — 1 October 2006

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