Domain wall resistance in AlFe nanocontact

Peng Xu; Haisheng San; Xuyuan Chen

doi:10.1117/12.777093

30 April 2008 Domain wall resistance in AlFe nanocontact

Peng Xu, Haisheng San, Xuyuan Chen

Proceedings Volume 6959, Micro (MEMS) and Nanotechnologies for Space, Defense, and Security II; 695917 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.777093
Event: SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, 2008, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

In spin electronic devices, passing a spin-polarized current through the device is a better way to switch the magnetic configuration than applying an external magnetic field with an external current line, because there are several drawbacks associated with the use of external magnetic fields in terms of energy consumption and the risk of crosstalk. One good method is using a current to induce domain wall motion from a constriction in a spin-valve structure, which generates much interest in the case of spin-dependent electron transport across a nanocontact or a nanoconstriction. The samples are fabricated on a SiO₂/Si substrate using electron beam lithography and a lift-off technique. Electron beam lithography was used to define the nanocontact structure and radio frequency magnetic sputtering with pure Ar was used to deposit an Al₅₀Fe₅₀ alloy layer about 30 nm thick and an Au cap-layer about 2 nm thick. Ultrasonic assisted lift-off in acetone is used to obtain the wire and the constriction. The I-V measurement is performed at room temperature without applied magnetic field. A sharp drop in resistance was observed in the 50-nm-wide nanocontact, which is attributed to the removal of the domain wall from the contact by the reflection of spin polarized electron. In the low resistance state, no domain wall is pinned at the contact, while in the high resistance state the presence of a domain wall must be responsible for the additional resistance, which is the domain wall resistance.

Citation Download Citation

Peng Xu, Haisheng San, and Xuyuan Chen "Domain wall resistance in AlFe nanocontact", Proc. SPIE 6959, Micro (MEMS) and Nanotechnologies for Space, Defense, and Security II, 695917 (30 April 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.777093

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KEYWORDS

Resistance

Magnetism

Electron beam lithography

Ferromagnetics

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