Tailoring magnetoresistance through rotating Ni particles

TL;DR

This study uses ab initio methods to analyze how atomic rearrangements in Ni nanocontacts influence conductance and magnetoresistance, revealing significant variability and potential sign reversal.

Contribution

It demonstrates how atomic-scale modifications in Ni contacts can tailor magnetoresistance, highlighting the role of contact area in magnetic transport properties.

Findings

Magnetoresistance varies from a few percent to 50%.

Magnetoresistance can reverse sign depending on contact area.

Atomic rearrangements significantly affect conductance.

Abstract

We present \textit{ab initio} studies for different Ni nanocontacts and show changes in the conductance of such constrictions due to atomic rearrangements in the contact. In particular we consider a Ni particle and show that the magnetoresistance can change from a few to 50% and can even reverse sign as a function of the contact area formed between the particle and the leads.