Current-Perpendicular-to-Plane Giant Magnetoresistance Effect in van der Waals Heterostructures

TL;DR

This paper reports the theoretical discovery of a giant magnetoresistance effect in van der Waals heterostructures with potential applications in spintronic devices, achieved through first-principles calculations.

Contribution

It introduces a new van der Waals heterostructure with high GMR and low resistance-area product, demonstrating promising spintronic device potential.

Findings

GMR of around 2000% in vdW heterostructures

RA less than 0.3 Ω μm²

AMR around 20% in the studied structure

Abstract

Spin-dependent transport in a full van der Waals (vdW) giant magnetoresistance (GMR) junctions with the structure of Fe3GeTe2/XTe2/Fe3GeTe2 (X = Pt, Pd) has been investigated by using first-principles calculations. The ballistic conductance, magnetoresistance (MR) and resistance-area product (RA) have been calculated in a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) geometry. A giant magnetoresistance of around 2000% and RA less than 0.3 {\Omega} {\mu}m2 have been found in the proposed vdW CPP GMR. In addition, the spin-orbit coupling effect on transport and anisotropy magnetoresistance (AMR) has also been investigated. The calculated AMR is found to be around 20% in Fe3GeTe2/trilayer-PdTe2/Fe3GeTe2 CPP GMR. Both GMR and AMR in the proposed vdW CPP GMR mainly originate from the bulk electronic structure properties of Fe3GeTe2. This work demonstrates a vdW CPP GMR with superior advantages including perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, large GMR, low RA as well as sizable AMR may stimulate future experimental explorations and should be appealing for their applications in spintronic devices including magnetic sensor and memory.