Large Tunneling Magnetoresistance in van der Waals Ferromagnet/Semiconductor Heterojunctions

Zhu, Wenkai; Lin, Hailong; Yan, Faguang; Hu, Ce; Wang, Ziao; Zhao, Lixia; Deng, Yongcheng; Kudrynskyi, Zakhar R.; Zhou, Tong; Kovalyuk, Zakhar D.; Zheng, Yuanhui; Patanè, Amalia; Žutić, Igor; Li, Shushen; Zheng, Houzhi; Wang, Kaiyou

Abstract

2D layered chalcogenide semiconductors have been proposed as a promising class of materials for low-dimensional electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic devices. Here, all-2D van der Waals vertical spin-valve devices, that combine the 2D layered semiconductor InSe as a spacer with the 2D layered ferromagnetic metal Fe3GeTe2 as spin injection and detection electrodes, are reported. Two distinct transport behaviors are observed: tunneling and metallic, which are assigned to the formation of a pinhole-free tunnel barrier at the Fe3GeTe2/InSe interface and pinholes in the InSe spacer layer, respectively. For the tunneling device, a large magnetoresistance (MR) of 41% is obtained under an applied bias current of 0.1 µA at 10 K, which is about three times larger than that of the metallic device. Moreover, the tunneling device exhibits a lower operating bias current but a more sensitive bias current dependence than the metallic device. The MR and spin polarization of both the metallic and tunneling devices decrease with increasing temperature, which can be fitted well by Bloch's law. These findings reveal the critical role of pinholes in the MR of all-2D van der Waals ferromagnet/semiconductor heterojunction devices.

Citation

Zhu, W., Lin, H., Yan, F., Hu, C., Wang, Z., Zhao, L., …Wang, K. (2021). Large Tunneling Magnetoresistance in van der Waals Ferromagnet/Semiconductor Heterojunctions. Advanced Materials, 33(51), Article 2104658. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202104658

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 12, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Oct 13, 2021
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Sep 13, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 14, 2022
• Journal: Advanced Materials
• Print ISSN: 0935-9648
• Electronic ISSN: 1521-4095
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 51
• Article Number: 2104658
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202104658
• Keywords: Mechanical Engineering; Mechanics of Materials; General Materials Science
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/6237842
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adma.202104658
• Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Zhu, W., Lin, H., Yan, F., Hu, C., Wang, Z., Zhao, L., Deng, Y., Kudrynskyi, Z. R., Zhou, T., Kovalyuk, Z. D., Zheng, Y., Patanè, A., Žutić, I., Li, S., Zheng, H., Wang, K., Large Tunneling Magnetoresistance in van der Waals Ferromagnet/Semiconductor Heterojunctions. Adv. Mater. 2021, 2104658, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202104658. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.