Large magnetoresistance in Co∕Ni∕Co ferromagnetic single electron transistors

Abstract

The authors report on magnetotransport investigations of nanoscaled ferromagnetic Co∕Ni∕Co single electron transistors. As a result of reduced size, the devices exhibit single electron transistor characteristics at 4.2K. Magnetotransport measurements carried out at 1.8K reveal tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) traces with negative coercive fields, which the authors interpret in terms of a switching mechanism driven by the shape anisotropy of the central wirelike Ni island. A large TMR of about 18% is observed within a finite source-drain bias regime. The TMR decreases rapidly with increasing bias, which the authors tentatively attribute to excitation of magnons in the central island.