Abstract
In this article, the fabrication of a Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4/MgO/p-Si heterostructure device has been optimized using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, and a detailed investigation of its structural, electrical, and magnetic features has been performed experimentally. The electronic and magneto-transport characteristics have been explored in the temperature range of 100–300 K. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the heterojunction have been recorded, which displayed an excellent rectifying magnetic tunnel diode-like behavior throughout that temperature regime. The application of an external magnetic field parallel to the plane of the NZFO film causes the current (I) across the junction to decrease, clearly indicating positive junction magnetoresistance (JMR) of the heterostructure. The root of displaying positive magnetoresistance in our heterojunction has been well justified using the standard spin injection model. The electrical injection of spin-polarized carriers and its accumulation and detection in a p-Si channel have been demonstrated using the NZFO/MgO tunnel contact using a three-terminal (3-T) Hanle device. The parameters such as spin lifetime (99 ps), spin diffusion length (276 nm), and spin polarization (0.44) have been estimated from the Hanle curve detected in our heterostructure at room temperature, making the Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4/MgO/p-Si device a very favorable promising junction structure in the field of spintronics for several device appliances in the future.
Highlights
Comparing with the result of NFO/ MgO/p-Si (Maji et al, 2021), we can confirm that the room temperature spin lifetime in p-Si is enhanced by almost 142% by using the NZFO/MgO/p-Si heterostructure
We have confirmed that the NZFO film has been grown with a mixed spinel ferrite structure with no impurity phase
The room temperature electrical spin injection, accumulation, and detection have been investigated using the NZFO/MgO tunnel contact employing 3-T Hanle geometry. The parameters such as spin lifetime (99 ps), spin diffusion length (276 nm), and spin polarization (0.44) have been estimated from the Hanle curve detected in our heterostructure at room temperature
Summary
With the precipitous advancement of novel devices miniaturizing technology, magnetic structures are being moved toward the nanoscale dimensions for promising applications in spintronics, memory, and other multi-functional devices (McCurrie, 1994; Sugimoto, 1999; Wolf et al, 2001; Parkin et al, 2008; Cullity and Graham, 2011; Zabel and Farle, 2012; Sharma et al, 2018). Nickel–zinc ferrites have become the most favorable ferromagnetic materials, owning to low dielectric losses, high saturation magnetization, high magnetostriction, low coercive field, high dielectric constant with magnetic transition temperature well above 300 K (Sugimoto, 1999; Valenzuela, 2012; Dionne and West, 1987; Srinivasan et al, 1988; Pradhan et al, 2014) This ferromagnetic material has already been used in various applications such as magnetic storage systems, gas sensors, catalysts, magnetic fluids, photo-magnetic materials, magnetic resonance imaging, site-specific drug delivery, and microwave devices (Raikher et al, 2004; Cunningham et al, 2005; Rana et al, 2005; Yoon et al, 2005; Chu et al, 2007). The experimental details (device fabrication, characterization, and measurement setup) have been provided in the Supporting Information
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