Abstract
We report ab initio calculations of nonequilibrium quantum transport properties of trilayer structures. The zero bias tunnel magnetoresistance is found to be several thousand percent, and it is reduced to about 1000% when the interface is oxidized. The tunnel magnetoresistance for devices without oxidization reduces monotonically to zero with a voltage scale of about 0.5–1 V, consistent with experimental observations. We present an understanding of the nonequilibrium transport by investigating microscopic details of the scattering states and the Bloch bands of the Fe leads.
- Received 30 April 2006
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.226802
©2006 American Physical Society