Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl
Employing the first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT) combined with the nonequilibrium Green’s function, we investigated the interfacial electronic, magnetic, and spin transport properties of Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl current-perpendicular-to-plane spin valves (CPP-SV...
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2018-08-01
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author | Ming-Sheng Wei Zhou Cui Xin Ruan Qi-Wen Zhou Xiao-Yi Fu Zhen-Yan Liu Qian-Ya Ma Yu Feng |
author_facet | Ming-Sheng Wei Zhou Cui Xin Ruan Qi-Wen Zhou Xiao-Yi Fu Zhen-Yan Liu Qian-Ya Ma Yu Feng |
author_sort | Ming-Sheng Wei |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Employing the first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT) combined with the nonequilibrium Green’s function, we investigated the interfacial electronic, magnetic, and spin transport properties of Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl current-perpendicular-to-plane spin valves (CPP-SV). Due to the interface rehybridization, the magnetic moment of the interface atom gets enhanced. Further analysis on electronic structures reveals that owing to the interface states, the interface spin polarization is decreased. The largest interface spin polarization (ISP) of 78% belongs to the MnCoT-terminated interface, and the ISP of the MnMnT1-terminated interface is also as high as 45%. The transmission curves of Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl reveal that the transmission coefficient at the Fermi level in the majority spin channel is much higher than that in the minority spin channel. Furthermore, the calculated magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of the MnCoT-terminated interface reaches up to 2886%, while that of the MnMnT1-terminated interface is only 330%. Therefore, Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl CPP-SV with an MnCo-terminated interface structure has a better application in a spintronics device. |
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spelling | doaj.art-167ede7c236844328c476a096fef93382022-12-21T17:33:12ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172018-08-0188134810.3390/app8081348app8081348Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAlMing-Sheng Wei0Zhou Cui1Xin Ruan2Qi-Wen Zhou3Xiao-Yi Fu4Zhen-Yan Liu5Qian-Ya Ma6Yu Feng7School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaEmploying the first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT) combined with the nonequilibrium Green’s function, we investigated the interfacial electronic, magnetic, and spin transport properties of Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl current-perpendicular-to-plane spin valves (CPP-SV). Due to the interface rehybridization, the magnetic moment of the interface atom gets enhanced. Further analysis on electronic structures reveals that owing to the interface states, the interface spin polarization is decreased. The largest interface spin polarization (ISP) of 78% belongs to the MnCoT-terminated interface, and the ISP of the MnMnT1-terminated interface is also as high as 45%. The transmission curves of Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl reveal that the transmission coefficient at the Fermi level in the majority spin channel is much higher than that in the minority spin channel. Furthermore, the calculated magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of the MnCoT-terminated interface reaches up to 2886%, while that of the MnMnT1-terminated interface is only 330%. Therefore, Mn2CoAl/Ag/Mn2CoAl CPP-SV with an MnCo-terminated interface structure has a better application in a spintronics device.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/8/8/1348Heusler alloyspin gapless semiconductorelectronic structurespin transport |
spellingShingle | Ming-Sheng Wei Zhou Cui Xin Ruan Qi-Wen Zhou Xiao-Yi Fu Zhen-Yan Liu Qian-Ya Ma Yu Feng Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl Applied Sciences Heusler alloy spin gapless semiconductor electronic structure spin transport |
title | Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl |
title_full | Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl |
title_fullStr | Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl |
title_full_unstemmed | Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl |
title_short | Interface Characterization of Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Spin Valves Based on Spin Gapless Semiconductor Mn2CoAl |
title_sort | interface characterization of current perpendicular to plane spin valves based on spin gapless semiconductor mn2coal |
topic | Heusler alloy spin gapless semiconductor electronic structure spin transport |
url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/8/8/1348 |
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