The Influence of the Ferroelectric and Magnetic Configuration on the Tunnel Current in Double Planar Tunnel Junctions with Ferromagnetic Electrodes and Ferroelectric Barriers

Abstract

Herein, the tunnel current in double planar tunnel junctions, consisting of ferromagnetic external electrodes and a central ferromagnetic layer separated by ferroelectric barriers, is analyzed. Different orientations of magnetic moments in the electrodes and electric polarization in the barriers are considered. The influence of the thickness of the central layer, the spin splitting of the electron bands, and the Thomas–Fermi screening length in the electrodes and the central layer on the obtained results is analyzed. The modification of the results caused by the change of the width and electric polarization of the barriers is also discussed. The influence of the change of the ferroelectric configuration on the magnitude of the tunnel current can be enhanced in the junctions with different Thomas–Fermi screening lengths in the central layer and external electrodes as well as in the junctions in which the resonant states in the central layer are located near the Fermi level in the source electrode or near the band edge for electrons of minority spin in the drain electrode. It is possible to find the junctions in which electron transport is sensitive to both ferroelectric and magnetic configurations, which can be used as multibit memories.