Room temperature tunneling anisotropic and collinear magnetoresistance

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates room temperature tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance in magnetic junctions, showing significant magnetoresistance changes with magnetization orientation, explained by an antiferromagnetic oxide layer within the barrier.

Contribution

It reports the observation of room temperature tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance in Co/Al2O3/NiFe junctions with a novel explanation involving an antiferromagnetic oxide layer.

Findings

Significant change in tunnel magnetoresistance with magnetization rotation

Angular dependence explained by antiferromagnetic oxide layer

Room temperature operation of tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance

Abstract

We report a room temperature tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance in Co/Al2O3/NiFe junctions containing magnetic electrodes oxidized prior to forming the Al2O3 layer. A significant change in a tunnel magnetoresistance is observed when the layer magnetizations are rotated collinearly in the junction plane by an applied external field. The angular dependence of the tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance could be explained by the presence of an antiferromagnetic oxide layer formed within the barrier.