Intergranular Spin Dependent Tunneling Dominated Magnetoresistance in Helimagnetic Manganese Phosphide Thin Films

Helical magnets are emerging as a novel class of materials for spintronics and sensor applications; however, research on their charge- and spin-transport properties in a thin film form is less explored. Herein, we report the temperature and magnetic field-dependent charge transport properties of a h...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Baleeswaraiah Muchharla, Richa Pokharel Madhogaria, Derick Detellem, Chang-Ming Hung, Amit Chanda, Nivarthana W. Y. A. Y. Mudiyanselage, Anh Tuan Duong, Minh-Tuan Trinh, Sarath Witanachchi, Manh-Huong Phan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/9/1478
Description
Summary:Helical magnets are emerging as a novel class of materials for spintronics and sensor applications; however, research on their charge- and spin-transport properties in a thin film form is less explored. Herein, we report the temperature and magnetic field-dependent charge transport properties of a highly crystalline MnP nanorod thin film over a wide temperature range (2 K < <i>T</i> < 350 K). The MnP nanorod films of ~100 nm thickness were grown on Si substrates at 500 °C using molecular beam epitaxy. The temperature-dependent resistivity <i>ρ</i>(<i>T</i>) data exhibit a metallic behavior (d<i>ρ</i>/d<i>T</i> > 0) over the entire measured temperature range. However, large negative magnetoresistance (Δ<i>ρ</i>/<i>ρ</i>) of up to 12% is observed below ~50 K at which the system enters a stable helical (screw) magnetic state. In this temperature regime, the Δ<i>ρ</i>(<i>H</i>)/<i>ρ</i>(0) dependence also shows a magnetic field-manipulated CONE + FAN phase coexistence. The observed magnetoresistance is dominantly governed by the intergranular spin dependent tunneling mechanism. These findings pinpoint a correlation between the transport and magnetism in this helimagnetic system.
ISSN:2079-4991