Magnetoelectric bistabilities in ferromagnetic resonant tunneling structures

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates magnetoelectric bistabilities in ferromagnetic quantum wells, revealing how electrical control of the well's properties can induce switching between magnetic and non-magnetic states.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model showing how Coulomb interaction and exchange coupling lead to bistability in ferromagnetic resonant tunneling structures.

Findings

Bistability depends on the alignment of quantum well level and chemical potentials.

Well Curie temperature is strongly influenced by electrical modifications.

Switching between magnetic and non-magnetic states is achievable via electrical control.

Abstract

The conditions for the occurrence of pronounced magnetoelectric bistabilities in the resonant tunneling through a ferromagnetic quantum well are theoretically investigated. The bistability appears due to the mutual feedback of the carriers Coulomb interaction and the carriers exchange coupling with magnetic impurities in the well. It is shown that the well Curie temperature depends strongly on the relative alignment of the quantum well level and the reservoirs chemical potentials, which can be modified electrically. Switching between a "current-on/magnetism-off" and a "current-off/magnetism-on" mode becomes possible, if the well temperature lies in-between the bistable values of the well Curie temperature.