Publication Date:
2016-05-24
Description:
The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of a silicon chain sandwiched between nickel electrodes was examined by using first-principles density functional theory. The relative orientation of the magnetization in a parallel-alignment (PA) configuration of two nickel electrodes enhanced the current with a bias less than 0.4 V compared with that in an antiparallel-alignment configuration. Consequently, the silicon chain-nickel electrodes yielded good TMR characteristics. In addition, there was polarized spin current in the PA configuration. The spin polarization of sulfur atoms functioning as a linking bridge between the chain and nickel electrode played an important role in the magnetic effects of the electric current. Moreover, the hybridization of the sulfur 3 p orbital and σ-conjugated silicon 3 p orbital contributed to increasing the total current.
Print ISSN:
0021-8979
Electronic ISSN:
1089-7550
Topics:
Physics
