Nanoscale metal-based tunneling junction(MTJ)devices were fabricated using the electromigration method,and their electrical properties were studied after exposure toγ-andβ-radiation.Irradiation caused the set thresh...Nanoscale metal-based tunneling junction(MTJ)devices were fabricated using the electromigration method,and their electrical properties were studied after exposure toγ-andβ-radiation.Irradiation caused the set threshold voltage(V_(set))of the MTJ devices to increase,leading to a transition from a low-resistance state(LRS)to a high-resistance state(HRS).This shift in V_(set)was due to atom displacement from high-energy electrons excited byγ-andβ-radiation.Unlike semiconductor devices,MTJ devices showed resilience to permanent damage and could be restored in-situ through multiple I-V(I is the drain current;V is the drain voltage)sweeps with appropriate configurations.This ability to recover suggests that MTJ devices have promising potential under irradiation.The reparability of irradiated MTJ devices is closely related to nothing-on-insulator(NOI)their structure,providing insights for other NOI and metal-based micro-nanoscale devices.展开更多
This paper proposes a novel single electron random number generator (RNG). The generator consists of multiple tunneling junctions (MTJ) and a hybrid single electron transistor (SET)/MOS output circuit. It is an ...This paper proposes a novel single electron random number generator (RNG). The generator consists of multiple tunneling junctions (MTJ) and a hybrid single electron transistor (SET)/MOS output circuit. It is an oscillator-based RNG. MTJ is used to implement a high-frequency oscillator, which uses the inherent physical randomness in tunneling events of the MTJ to achieve large frequency drift. The hybrid SET and MOS output circuit is used to amplify and buffer the output signal of the MTJ oscillator. The RNG circuit generates high-quality random digital sequences with a simple structure. The operation speed of this circuit is as high as 1GHz. The circuit also has good driven capability and low power dissipation. This novel random number generator is a promising device for future cryptographic systems and communication applications.展开更多
In order to consider quantum transport under the influence of an electron-electron (e-e) interaction in a mesoscopic conductor,the Boltzmann equation and Poisson equation are investigated jointly.The analytical expr...In order to consider quantum transport under the influence of an electron-electron (e-e) interaction in a mesoscopic conductor,the Boltzmann equation and Poisson equation are investigated jointly.The analytical expressions of the distribution function for the Boltzmann equation and the self-consistent average potential concerned with e-e interaction are obtained,and the dielectric function appearing in the self-consistent average potential is naturally generalized beyond the Thomas-Fermi approximation.Then we apply these results to the tunneling junctions of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) in which the electrons are accumulated near the interface of the semiconductor,and we find that the e-e interaction plays an important role in the transport procedure of this system. The electronic density,electric current as well as screening Coulombic potential in this case are studied,and we reveal the time and position dependence of these physical quantities explicitly affected by the e-e interaction.展开更多
Nonequilibrium effect due to the imbalance in the number of the ? and ? spin electrons has been studied for the tunneling currents in the ferromagnet-insulator-superconductor (FIS) tunneling junctions within a phenome...Nonequilibrium effect due to the imbalance in the number of the ? and ? spin electrons has been studied for the tunneling currents in the ferromagnet-insulator-superconductor (FIS) tunneling junctions within a phenomenological manner. It has been stated how the nonequilibrium effect should be observed in the spin-polarized quasiparticle tunneling currents, and pointed out that the detectable nonequilibrium effect could be found in the FIS tunneling junction at 77 K using HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8+? (Hg-1223) high-Tc superconductor rather than Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+? (Bi-2212) one.展开更多
Because of the wide selectivity of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric(FE)components,electric-field(E-field)control of magnetism via strain mediation can be easily realized through composite multiferroic heterostructures....Because of the wide selectivity of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric(FE)components,electric-field(E-field)control of magnetism via strain mediation can be easily realized through composite multiferroic heterostructures.Here,an MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction(MTJ)is chosen rationally as the ferromagnetic constitution and a high-activity(001)-Pb(Mg_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))_(0.7)Ti_(0.3)O_(3)(PMN-0.3PT)single crystal is selected as the FE component to create a multiferroic MTJ/FE hybrid structure.The shape of tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR)versus in situ E-fields imprints the butterfly loop of the piezo-strain of the FE without magnetic-field bias.The E-field-controlled change in the TMR ratio is up to-0.27%without magnetic-field bias.Moreover,when a typical magnetic field(~±10 Oe)is applied along the minor axis of the MTJ,the butterfly loop is changed significantly by the E-fields relative to that without magnetic-field bias.This suggests that the E-field-controlled junction resistance is spin-dependent and correlated with magnetization switching in the free layer of the MTJ.In addition,based on such a multiferroic heterostructure,a strain-gauge factor up to approximately 40 is achieved,which decreases further with a sign change from positive to negative with increasing magnetic fields.This multiferroic hybrid structure is a promising avenue to control TMR through E-fields in low-power-consumption spintronic and straintronic devices at room temperature.展开更多
Two-dimensional (2D) GeP3 has recently been theoretically proposed as a new low-dimensional ma- terial [Nano Lett. 17(3), 1833 (2017)]. In this manuscript, we propose a first-principles calculation to investigat...Two-dimensional (2D) GeP3 has recently been theoretically proposed as a new low-dimensional ma- terial [Nano Lett. 17(3), 1833 (2017)]. In this manuscript, we propose a first-principles calculation to investigate the quantum transport properties of several GeP3 nanoribbon-based atomic tunneling junctions. Numerical results indicate that monolayer GeP3 nanoribbons show semiconducting behav- ior, whereas trilayer GeP3 nanoribbons express metallic behavior owing to the strong interaction between each of the layers. This behavior is in accordance with that proposed in two-dimensional GeP3 layers. The transmission coefficient T(E) of tunneling junctions is sensitive to the connecting formation between the central monolayer GeP3 nanoribbon and the trilayer GeP3 nanoribbon at both ends. The T(E) value of the bottom-connecting tunneling junction is considerably larger than those of the middle-connecting and top-connecting ones. With increases in gate voltage, the conductances increase for the bottom-connecting and middle-connecting tunneling junctions, but decrease for the top-connecting tunneling junctions. In addition, the conductance decreases exponentially with respect to the length of the central monolayer GeP3 nanoribbon for all the tunneling junctions. I-V curves show approximately linear behavior for the bottom-connecting and middle-connecting structures, but exhibit negative differential resistance for the top-connecting structures. The physics of each phe- nomenon is analyzed in detail.展开更多
The interface with a pinned dipole within the composite barrier in a ferroelectric tunnel junction(FTJ) with symmetric electrodes is investigated.Different from the detrimental effect of the interface between the el...The interface with a pinned dipole within the composite barrier in a ferroelectric tunnel junction(FTJ) with symmetric electrodes is investigated.Different from the detrimental effect of the interface between the electrode and barrier in previous studies,the existence of an interface between the dielectric SrTiO_3 slab and ferroelectric BaTiO_3 slab in FTJs will enhance the tunneling electroresistance(TER) effect.Specifically,the interface with a lower dielectric constant and larger polarization pointing to the ferroelectric slab favors the increase of TER ratio.Therefore,interface control of high performance FTJ can be achieved.展开更多
To study the influence of CoFeB/MgO interface on tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), different structures of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are successfully prepared by the magnetron sputtering technique and char...To study the influence of CoFeB/MgO interface on tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), different structures of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are successfully prepared by the magnetron sputtering technique and characterized by atomic force microscopy, a physical property measurement system, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results show that TMR of the CoFeB/Mg/MgO/CoFeB structure is evidently improved in comparison with the CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB structure because the inserted Mg layer prevents Fe-oxide formation at the CoFeB/MgO interface, which occurs in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB MTJs. The inherent properties of the CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB, CoFeB/Fe-oxide/MgO/CoFeB and CoFeB/Mg/MgO/CoFeB MTJs are simulated by using the theories of density functions and non-equilibrium Green functions. The simulated results demonstrate that TMR of CoFeB/Fe-oxide/MgO/CoFeB MTJs is severely decreased and is only half the value of the CoFeB/Mg/MgO/CoFeB MTJs. Based on the experimental results and theoretical analysis, it is believed that in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB MTJs, the interface oxidation of the CoFeB layer is the main reason to cause a remarkable reduction of TMR, and the inserted Mg layer may play an important role in protecting Fe atoms from oxidation, and then increasing TMR.展开更多
Magnetic tunnel junction with a large tunneling magnetoresistance has attracted great attention due to its importance in the spintronics applications.By performing extensive density functional theory calculations comb...Magnetic tunnel junction with a large tunneling magnetoresistance has attracted great attention due to its importance in the spintronics applications.By performing extensive density functional theory calculations combined with the nonequilibrium Green’s function method,we explore the spin-dependent transport properties of a magnetic tunnel junction,in which a non-polar SrTiO_(3) barrier layer is sandwiched between two Heusler alloy Co_(2)MnSi electrodes.Theoretical results clearly reveal that the near perfect spin-filtering effect appears in the parallel magnetization configuration.The transmission coefficient in the parallel magnetization configuration at the Fermi level is several orders of magnitude larger than that in the antiparallel magnetization configuration,resulting in a huge tunneling magnetoresistance(i.e.>10^(6)),which originates from the coherent spin-polarized tunneling,due to the half-metallic nature of Co_(2)MnSi electrodes and the significant spin-polarization of the interfacial Ti_(3)d orbital.展开更多
Multiferroic tunnel junctions(MFTJs),which combine tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR)and electroresistance(TER)efects,have emerged as key candidates for data storage.Two-dimensional van der Waals(vdW)MFTJs,in particular...Multiferroic tunnel junctions(MFTJs),which combine tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR)and electroresistance(TER)efects,have emerged as key candidates for data storage.Two-dimensional van der Waals(vdW)MFTJs,in particular,are promising spintronic devices for the post-Moore era.However,these vdW MFTJs are typically based on multiferroics composed of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric materials or multilayer magnetic materials with sliding ferroelectricity,which increases device fabrication complexity.In this work,we design a vdW MFTJ using bilayer MoPtGe_(2)S_(6),a material with homologous multiferroicity in each monolayer,combined with symmetric PtTe_(2)electrodes.Using frst-principles calculations based on density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's functions,we theoretically explore the spin-polarized electronic transport properties of this MFTJ.By controlling the ferroelectric and ferromagnetic polarization directions of bilayer MoPtGe_(2)S_(6),the MFTJ can exhibit six distinct non-volatile resistance states,with maximum TMR(137%)and TER(1943%)ratios.Under biaxial strain,TMR and TER can increase to 265%and 4210%,respectively.The TER ratio also increases to 2186%under a 0.1 V bias voltage.Remarkably,the MFTJ exhibits a pronounced spin-fltering and a signifcant negative diferential resistance efect.These fndings not only highlight the potential of monolayer multiferroic MoPtGe_(2)S_(6)for MFTJs but also ofer valuable theoretical insights for future experimental investigations.展开更多
Magnetic skyrmions are recognized as potential information carriers for building the next-generation spintronic memory and logic devices.Towards functional device applications,efficient electrical detection of skyrmio...Magnetic skyrmions are recognized as potential information carriers for building the next-generation spintronic memory and logic devices.Towards functional device applications,efficient electrical detection of skyrmions at room temperature is one of the most important prerequisites.展开更多
The n type GaAs substrates are used and their conductive type is changed to p type by tunnel junction for AlGaInP light emitting diodes(TJ LED),then n type GaP layer is used as current spreading layer.Because resi...The n type GaAs substrates are used and their conductive type is changed to p type by tunnel junction for AlGaInP light emitting diodes(TJ LED),then n type GaP layer is used as current spreading layer.Because resistivity of the n type GaP is lower than that of p type,the effect of current spreading layer is enhanced and the light extraction efficiency is increased by the n type GaP current spreading layer.For TJ LED with 3μm n type GaP current spreading layer,experimental results show that compared with conventional LED with p type GaP current spreading layer,light output power is increased for 50% at 20mA and for 66 7% at 100mA.展开更多
The tunneling of the massless Dirac fermions through a vector potential barrier are theoretically investigated, wherethe vector potential can be introduced by very high and very thin (d-function) magnetic potential ba...The tunneling of the massless Dirac fermions through a vector potential barrier are theoretically investigated, wherethe vector potential can be introduced by very high and very thin (d-function) magnetic potential barriers. We showthat, distinct from the previously studied electric barrier tunneling, the vector potential barriers are more transparent forpseudospin-1/2 Dirac fermions but more obstructive for pseudospin-1 Dirac fermions. By tuning the height of the vectorpotential barrier, the pseudospin-1/2 Dirac fermions remain transmitted, whereas the transmission of the pseudospin-1Dirac fermions is forbidden, leading to a pseudospin filtering effect for massless Dirac fermions.展开更多
Nano-ring-type magnetic tunnel junctions (NR-MTJs) with the layer structure of Ta(5)/Ir22Mn78(10)/ Co75Fe25(2)/Ru(0.75)/CoooFe20B20(3)/Al(0.6)-oxide/Co60Fe20B20(2.5)/Ta(3)/Ru(5) (thickness unit:...Nano-ring-type magnetic tunnel junctions (NR-MTJs) with the layer structure of Ta(5)/Ir22Mn78(10)/ Co75Fe25(2)/Ru(0.75)/CoooFe20B20(3)/Al(0.6)-oxide/Co60Fe20B20(2.5)/Ta(3)/Ru(5) (thickness unit: nm) were nano-fabricated on the Si(100)/SiO2 substrate using magnetron sputtering deposition combined with the optical lithography, electron beam lithography (EBL) and Ar ion-beam etching techniques. The smaller NR-MTJs with the inner- and outer-diameter of around 50 and 100 nm and also their corresponding NR-MTJ arrays were nano-patterned. The tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR & R) versus driving current (I) loops for a spin-polarized current switching were measured, and the TMR ratio of around 35% at room temperature were observed. The critical values of switching current for the free Co60Fe20B20 layer relative to the reference Co6oFe2oB2o layer between parallel and anti-parallel magnetization states were between 0.50 and 0.75 mA in such NR-MTJs. It is suggested that the applicable MRAM fabrication with the density and capacity higher than 256 Mbit/inch2 even 6 Gbite/inch2 are possible using both I NR-MTJ+1 transistor structure and current switching mechanism based on based on our fabricated 4×4 MRAM demo devices.展开更多
This paper reports that a double N layer (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) is used to substitute the single microcrystalline silicon n layer (n-μc-Si:H) in n/p tunnel recombination junction between subcells in a-Si:H/μc-Si...This paper reports that a double N layer (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) is used to substitute the single microcrystalline silicon n layer (n-μc-Si:H) in n/p tunnel recombination junction between subcells in a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cells. The electrical transport and optical properties of these tunnel recombination junctions are investigated by current voltage measurement and transmission measurement. The new n/p tunnel recombination junction shows a better ohmic contact. In addition, the n/p interface is exposed to the air to examine the effect of oxidation on the tunnel recombination junction performance. The open circuit voltage and FF of a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cell are all improved and the current leakage of the subcells can be effectively prevented efficiently when the new n/p junction is implemented as tunnel recombination junction.展开更多
To improve the energy resolution(?E) of Nb/Al superconducting tunnel junctions(STJs), an ozone(O3) oxidation process has been developed to fabricate a thin defect-free tunnel barrier that simultaneously shows h...To improve the energy resolution(?E) of Nb/Al superconducting tunnel junctions(STJs), an ozone(O3) oxidation process has been developed to fabricate a thin defect-free tunnel barrier that simultaneously shows high critical current JC〉 1000 A/cm^2 and high normalized dynamic resistance RDA 〉 100 MΩ·μm^2, where A is the size of the STJ. The 50-μm^2 STJs produced by O3 exposure of 0.26 Pa·min with an indirect spray of O3 gas, which is a much lower level of exposure than the O2 exposure used in a conventional O2 oxidation process, exhibit a maximum JC= 800 A/cm^2 and a high RDA = 372 MΩ ·μm^2. The 100-pixel array of the 100-μm^2STJs produced using the same O3 oxidation conditions exhibits a constant leak current I leak= 14.9 ± 3.2 n A at a bias point around △ /e(where e is half the energy gap of an STJ),and a high fabrication yield of 87%. Although the I leak values are slightly larger than those of STJs produced using the conventional O2 oxidation process, the STJ produced using O3 oxidation shows a ?E = 10 eV for the C-Kα line, which is the best value of our Nb/Al STJ x-ray detectors.展开更多
A new tunnel recombination junction is fabricated for n-i-p type micromorph tandem solar cells. We insert a thin heavily doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p^+ recombination layer between the n a-Si:H ...A new tunnel recombination junction is fabricated for n-i-p type micromorph tandem solar cells. We insert a thin heavily doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p^+ recombination layer between the n a-Si:H and the p hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) layers to improve the performance of the n-i-p tandem solar cells. The effects of the boron doping gas ratio and the deposition time of the p-a-Si:H recombination layer on the tunnel recombination junctions have been investigated. The current-voltage characteristic of the tunnel recombination junction shows a nearly ohmic characteristic, and the resistance of the tunnel recombination junction can be as low as 1.5 Ω-cm^2 by using the optimized p-a-Si:H recombination layer. We obtain tandem solar cells with open circuit voltage Voc = 1.4 V, which is nearly the sum of the Vocs of the two corresponding single cells, indicating no Voc losses at the tunnel recombination junction.展开更多
We investigate properties of perpendicular anisotropy magnetic tunnel junctions(pMTJs) with a stack structure MgO/CoFeB/Ta/CoFeB/MgO as the free layer(or recording layer),and obtain the necessary device parameters fro...We investigate properties of perpendicular anisotropy magnetic tunnel junctions(pMTJs) with a stack structure MgO/CoFeB/Ta/CoFeB/MgO as the free layer(or recording layer),and obtain the necessary device parameters from the tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR) vs.field loops and current-driven magnetization switching experiments.Based on the experimental results and device parameters,we further estimate current-driven switching performance of pMTJ including switching time and power,and their dependence on perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and damping constant of the free layer by SPICE-based circuit simulations.Our results show that the pMTJ cells exhibit a less than 1 ns switching time and write energies <1.4 pJ;meanwhile the lower perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA) and damping constant can further reduce the switching time at the studied range of damping constant α <0.1.Additionally,our results demonstrate that the pMTJs with the thermal stability factor■73 can be easily transformed into spin-torque nano-oscillators from magnetic memory as microwave sources or detectors for telecommunication devices.展开更多
Magnetic tunnel junctions(MTJs) based on MgO barrier have been fabricated by sputtering single crystal MgO target and metal Mg target, respectively, using magnetic sputtering system Nordiko 2000. MgO barriers have bee...Magnetic tunnel junctions(MTJs) based on MgO barrier have been fabricated by sputtering single crystal MgO target and metal Mg target, respectively, using magnetic sputtering system Nordiko 2000. MgO barriers have been formed by a multi-step deposition and natural oxidization of Mg layer. Mg layer thickness,oxygen flow rate and oxidization time were adjusted and the tunnel magnetoresistance(TMR) ratio of optimal MTJs is over 60% at annealing temperature 385. The(001) MgO crystal structure was obtained when the separation distance between MgO target and substrate is less than 6 cm. The TMR ratio of most MgO based MTJs are over 100% at the separation distance of 5 cm and annealing temperature 340. The TMR ratios of MTJs are almost zero when the separation distance ranges from 6 to 10 cm, due to the amorphous nature of the MgO film.展开更多
We report a p24(HIV disease biomarker)detection assay using an MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction(MTJ)sensor and 20-nm magnetic nanoparticles.The MTJ array sensor with sensing area of 890×890μ2 possessing a sens...We report a p24(HIV disease biomarker)detection assay using an MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction(MTJ)sensor and 20-nm magnetic nanoparticles.The MTJ array sensor with sensing area of 890×890μ2 possessing a sensitivity of 1.39%/Oe was used to detect p24 antigens.It is demonstrated that the p24 antigens could be detected at a concentration of 0.01μg/ml.The development of bio-detection systems based on magnetic tunnel junction sensors with high-sensitivity will greatly benefit the early diagnosis of HIV.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.T2293703,T2293700)the Instrumental Analysis Fund of Peking University,China(No.KF-2305-07).
文摘Nanoscale metal-based tunneling junction(MTJ)devices were fabricated using the electromigration method,and their electrical properties were studied after exposure toγ-andβ-radiation.Irradiation caused the set threshold voltage(V_(set))of the MTJ devices to increase,leading to a transition from a low-resistance state(LRS)to a high-resistance state(HRS).This shift in V_(set)was due to atom displacement from high-energy electrons excited byγ-andβ-radiation.Unlike semiconductor devices,MTJ devices showed resilience to permanent damage and could be restored in-situ through multiple I-V(I is the drain current;V is the drain voltage)sweeps with appropriate configurations.This ability to recover suggests that MTJ devices have promising potential under irradiation.The reparability of irradiated MTJ devices is closely related to nothing-on-insulator(NOI)their structure,providing insights for other NOI and metal-based micro-nanoscale devices.
文摘This paper proposes a novel single electron random number generator (RNG). The generator consists of multiple tunneling junctions (MTJ) and a hybrid single electron transistor (SET)/MOS output circuit. It is an oscillator-based RNG. MTJ is used to implement a high-frequency oscillator, which uses the inherent physical randomness in tunneling events of the MTJ to achieve large frequency drift. The hybrid SET and MOS output circuit is used to amplify and buffer the output signal of the MTJ oscillator. The RNG circuit generates high-quality random digital sequences with a simple structure. The operation speed of this circuit is as high as 1GHz. The circuit also has good driven capability and low power dissipation. This novel random number generator is a promising device for future cryptographic systems and communication applications.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 10404037)
文摘In order to consider quantum transport under the influence of an electron-electron (e-e) interaction in a mesoscopic conductor,the Boltzmann equation and Poisson equation are investigated jointly.The analytical expressions of the distribution function for the Boltzmann equation and the self-consistent average potential concerned with e-e interaction are obtained,and the dielectric function appearing in the self-consistent average potential is naturally generalized beyond the Thomas-Fermi approximation.Then we apply these results to the tunneling junctions of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) in which the electrons are accumulated near the interface of the semiconductor,and we find that the e-e interaction plays an important role in the transport procedure of this system. The electronic density,electric current as well as screening Coulombic potential in this case are studied,and we reveal the time and position dependence of these physical quantities explicitly affected by the e-e interaction.
文摘Nonequilibrium effect due to the imbalance in the number of the ? and ? spin electrons has been studied for the tunneling currents in the ferromagnet-insulator-superconductor (FIS) tunneling junctions within a phenomenological manner. It has been stated how the nonequilibrium effect should be observed in the spin-polarized quasiparticle tunneling currents, and pointed out that the detectable nonequilibrium effect could be found in the FIS tunneling junction at 77 K using HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8+? (Hg-1223) high-Tc superconductor rather than Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+? (Bi-2212) one.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52072102 and 11775224)It was also partially funded through the Open Foundation of the Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale(Grant No.KF2020002).
文摘Because of the wide selectivity of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric(FE)components,electric-field(E-field)control of magnetism via strain mediation can be easily realized through composite multiferroic heterostructures.Here,an MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction(MTJ)is chosen rationally as the ferromagnetic constitution and a high-activity(001)-Pb(Mg_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))_(0.7)Ti_(0.3)O_(3)(PMN-0.3PT)single crystal is selected as the FE component to create a multiferroic MTJ/FE hybrid structure.The shape of tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR)versus in situ E-fields imprints the butterfly loop of the piezo-strain of the FE without magnetic-field bias.The E-field-controlled change in the TMR ratio is up to-0.27%without magnetic-field bias.Moreover,when a typical magnetic field(~±10 Oe)is applied along the minor axis of the MTJ,the butterfly loop is changed significantly by the E-fields relative to that without magnetic-field bias.This suggests that the E-field-controlled junction resistance is spin-dependent and correlated with magnetization switching in the free layer of the MTJ.In addition,based on such a multiferroic heterostructure,a strain-gauge factor up to approximately 40 is achieved,which decreases further with a sign change from positive to negative with increasing magnetic fields.This multiferroic hybrid structure is a promising avenue to control TMR through E-fields in low-power-consumption spintronic and straintronic devices at room temperature.
基金This work was financially supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11774238) and Shanxi 1331KSC.
文摘Two-dimensional (2D) GeP3 has recently been theoretically proposed as a new low-dimensional ma- terial [Nano Lett. 17(3), 1833 (2017)]. In this manuscript, we propose a first-principles calculation to investigate the quantum transport properties of several GeP3 nanoribbon-based atomic tunneling junctions. Numerical results indicate that monolayer GeP3 nanoribbons show semiconducting behav- ior, whereas trilayer GeP3 nanoribbons express metallic behavior owing to the strong interaction between each of the layers. This behavior is in accordance with that proposed in two-dimensional GeP3 layers. The transmission coefficient T(E) of tunneling junctions is sensitive to the connecting formation between the central monolayer GeP3 nanoribbon and the trilayer GeP3 nanoribbon at both ends. The T(E) value of the bottom-connecting tunneling junction is considerably larger than those of the middle-connecting and top-connecting ones. With increases in gate voltage, the conductances increase for the bottom-connecting and middle-connecting tunneling junctions, but decrease for the top-connecting tunneling junctions. In addition, the conductance decreases exponentially with respect to the length of the central monolayer GeP3 nanoribbon for all the tunneling junctions. I-V curves show approximately linear behavior for the bottom-connecting and middle-connecting structures, but exhibit negative differential resistance for the top-connecting structures. The physics of each phe- nomenon is analyzed in detail.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11274054)the Open Project of Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials,China(Grant No.12KFJJ005)
文摘The interface with a pinned dipole within the composite barrier in a ferroelectric tunnel junction(FTJ) with symmetric electrodes is investigated.Different from the detrimental effect of the interface between the electrode and barrier in previous studies,the existence of an interface between the dielectric SrTiO_3 slab and ferroelectric BaTiO_3 slab in FTJs will enhance the tunneling electroresistance(TER) effect.Specifically,the interface with a lower dielectric constant and larger polarization pointing to the ferroelectric slab favors the increase of TER ratio.Therefore,interface control of high performance FTJ can be achieved.
基金Supported by the National Defense Advance Research Foundation under Grant No 9140A08XXXXXX0DZ106the Basic Research Program of Ministry of Education of China under Grant No JY10000925005+2 种基金the Scientific Research Program Funded by Shaanxi Provincial Education Department under Grant No 11JK0912the Scientific Research Foundation of Xi'an University of Science and Technology under Grant No 2010011the Doctoral Research Startup Fund of Xi'an University of Science and Technology under Grant No 2010QDJ029
文摘To study the influence of CoFeB/MgO interface on tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR), different structures of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are successfully prepared by the magnetron sputtering technique and characterized by atomic force microscopy, a physical property measurement system, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results show that TMR of the CoFeB/Mg/MgO/CoFeB structure is evidently improved in comparison with the CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB structure because the inserted Mg layer prevents Fe-oxide formation at the CoFeB/MgO interface, which occurs in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB MTJs. The inherent properties of the CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB, CoFeB/Fe-oxide/MgO/CoFeB and CoFeB/Mg/MgO/CoFeB MTJs are simulated by using the theories of density functions and non-equilibrium Green functions. The simulated results demonstrate that TMR of CoFeB/Fe-oxide/MgO/CoFeB MTJs is severely decreased and is only half the value of the CoFeB/Mg/MgO/CoFeB MTJs. Based on the experimental results and theoretical analysis, it is believed that in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB MTJs, the interface oxidation of the CoFeB layer is the main reason to cause a remarkable reduction of TMR, and the inserted Mg layer may play an important role in protecting Fe atoms from oxidation, and then increasing TMR.
基金partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21873088 and No.11634011)the Natural Science Foundation of the Anhui Higher Education Institutions(No.KJ2010A061 and No.KJ2016A144)。
文摘Magnetic tunnel junction with a large tunneling magnetoresistance has attracted great attention due to its importance in the spintronics applications.By performing extensive density functional theory calculations combined with the nonequilibrium Green’s function method,we explore the spin-dependent transport properties of a magnetic tunnel junction,in which a non-polar SrTiO_(3) barrier layer is sandwiched between two Heusler alloy Co_(2)MnSi electrodes.Theoretical results clearly reveal that the near perfect spin-filtering effect appears in the parallel magnetization configuration.The transmission coefficient in the parallel magnetization configuration at the Fermi level is several orders of magnitude larger than that in the antiparallel magnetization configuration,resulting in a huge tunneling magnetoresistance(i.e.>10^(6)),which originates from the coherent spin-polarized tunneling,due to the half-metallic nature of Co_(2)MnSi electrodes and the significant spin-polarization of the interfacial Ti_(3)d orbital.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2022YFB3505301)the National Key R&D Program of Shanxi Province(Grant No.202302050201014)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12304148)the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shanxi Province(Grant No.202203021222219)。
文摘Multiferroic tunnel junctions(MFTJs),which combine tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR)and electroresistance(TER)efects,have emerged as key candidates for data storage.Two-dimensional van der Waals(vdW)MFTJs,in particular,are promising spintronic devices for the post-Moore era.However,these vdW MFTJs are typically based on multiferroics composed of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric materials or multilayer magnetic materials with sliding ferroelectricity,which increases device fabrication complexity.In this work,we design a vdW MFTJ using bilayer MoPtGe_(2)S_(6),a material with homologous multiferroicity in each monolayer,combined with symmetric PtTe_(2)electrodes.Using frst-principles calculations based on density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's functions,we theoretically explore the spin-polarized electronic transport properties of this MFTJ.By controlling the ferroelectric and ferromagnetic polarization directions of bilayer MoPtGe_(2)S_(6),the MFTJ can exhibit six distinct non-volatile resistance states,with maximum TMR(137%)and TER(1943%)ratios.Under biaxial strain,TMR and TER can increase to 265%and 4210%,respectively.The TER ratio also increases to 2186%under a 0.1 V bias voltage.Remarkably,the MFTJ exhibits a pronounced spin-fltering and a signifcant negative diferential resistance efect.These fndings not only highlight the potential of monolayer multiferroic MoPtGe_(2)S_(6)for MFTJs but also ofer valuable theoretical insights for future experimental investigations.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2022YFA1405100)the NSFC distinguished Young Scholar program(Grant No.12225409)+6 种基金the Basic Science Center Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant No.52388201)the NSFC general program(Grant Nos.52271181,51831005,and 12421004)the Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology(Grant No.2023ZD0300500)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.Z240006)supported by the KAUST Office of Sponsored Research(OSR)under Award Nos.ORA-CRG102021-4665 and ORA-CRG11-2022-5031supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2024YFA1408503)Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Program(No.2025YFHZ0147)。
文摘Magnetic skyrmions are recognized as potential information carriers for building the next-generation spintronic memory and logic devices.Towards functional device applications,efficient electrical detection of skyrmions at room temperature is one of the most important prerequisites.
文摘The n type GaAs substrates are used and their conductive type is changed to p type by tunnel junction for AlGaInP light emitting diodes(TJ LED),then n type GaP layer is used as current spreading layer.Because resistivity of the n type GaP is lower than that of p type,the effect of current spreading layer is enhanced and the light extraction efficiency is increased by the n type GaP current spreading layer.For TJ LED with 3μm n type GaP current spreading layer,experimental results show that compared with conventional LED with p type GaP current spreading layer,light output power is increased for 50% at 20mA and for 66 7% at 100mA.
基金Project supported by the College Student Innovation Project(Grant No.202310299517X)the Scientific Research Project of Jiangsu University(Grant No.22A716).
文摘The tunneling of the massless Dirac fermions through a vector potential barrier are theoretically investigated, wherethe vector potential can be introduced by very high and very thin (d-function) magnetic potential barriers. We showthat, distinct from the previously studied electric barrier tunneling, the vector potential barriers are more transparent forpseudospin-1/2 Dirac fermions but more obstructive for pseudospin-1 Dirac fermions. By tuning the height of the vectorpotential barrier, the pseudospin-1/2 Dirac fermions remain transmitted, whereas the transmission of the pseudospin-1Dirac fermions is forbidden, leading to a pseudospin filtering effect for massless Dirac fermions.
基金the State Key Project of Fundamental Research of Ministry of Science and Technology (No. 2006CB932200) the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, No. 10574156)+2 种基金 the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Aca.demy of Sciencesthe protial support of 0utstanding Young Researcher Foundation (Nos. 50325104 and 50528101) K.C.Wong Education Foundation, Hong Kong.
文摘Nano-ring-type magnetic tunnel junctions (NR-MTJs) with the layer structure of Ta(5)/Ir22Mn78(10)/ Co75Fe25(2)/Ru(0.75)/CoooFe20B20(3)/Al(0.6)-oxide/Co60Fe20B20(2.5)/Ta(3)/Ru(5) (thickness unit: nm) were nano-fabricated on the Si(100)/SiO2 substrate using magnetron sputtering deposition combined with the optical lithography, electron beam lithography (EBL) and Ar ion-beam etching techniques. The smaller NR-MTJs with the inner- and outer-diameter of around 50 and 100 nm and also their corresponding NR-MTJ arrays were nano-patterned. The tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR & R) versus driving current (I) loops for a spin-polarized current switching were measured, and the TMR ratio of around 35% at room temperature were observed. The critical values of switching current for the free Co60Fe20B20 layer relative to the reference Co6oFe2oB2o layer between parallel and anti-parallel magnetization states were between 0.50 and 0.75 mA in such NR-MTJs. It is suggested that the applicable MRAM fabrication with the density and capacity higher than 256 Mbit/inch2 even 6 Gbite/inch2 are possible using both I NR-MTJ+1 transistor structure and current switching mechanism based on based on our fabricated 4×4 MRAM demo devices.
基金Project supported by the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (Grant Nos 2006CB202602 and2006CB202603)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 60506003)
文摘This paper reports that a double N layer (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) is used to substitute the single microcrystalline silicon n layer (n-μc-Si:H) in n/p tunnel recombination junction between subcells in a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cells. The electrical transport and optical properties of these tunnel recombination junctions are investigated by current voltage measurement and transmission measurement. The new n/p tunnel recombination junction shows a better ohmic contact. In addition, the n/p interface is exposed to the air to examine the effect of oxidation on the tunnel recombination junction performance. The open circuit voltage and FF of a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cell are all improved and the current leakage of the subcells can be effectively prevented efficiently when the new n/p junction is implemented as tunnel recombination junction.
文摘To improve the energy resolution(?E) of Nb/Al superconducting tunnel junctions(STJs), an ozone(O3) oxidation process has been developed to fabricate a thin defect-free tunnel barrier that simultaneously shows high critical current JC〉 1000 A/cm^2 and high normalized dynamic resistance RDA 〉 100 MΩ·μm^2, where A is the size of the STJ. The 50-μm^2 STJs produced by O3 exposure of 0.26 Pa·min with an indirect spray of O3 gas, which is a much lower level of exposure than the O2 exposure used in a conventional O2 oxidation process, exhibit a maximum JC= 800 A/cm^2 and a high RDA = 372 MΩ ·μm^2. The 100-pixel array of the 100-μm^2STJs produced using the same O3 oxidation conditions exhibits a constant leak current I leak= 14.9 ± 3.2 n A at a bias point around △ /e(where e is half the energy gap of an STJ),and a high fabrication yield of 87%. Although the I leak values are slightly larger than those of STJs produced using the conventional O2 oxidation process, the STJ produced using O3 oxidation shows a ?E = 10 eV for the C-Kα line, which is the best value of our Nb/Al STJ x-ray detectors.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB202604)the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 1KGCX2-YW-383-1)the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. SQ2010AA0521758001)
文摘A new tunnel recombination junction is fabricated for n-i-p type micromorph tandem solar cells. We insert a thin heavily doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p^+ recombination layer between the n a-Si:H and the p hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) layers to improve the performance of the n-i-p tandem solar cells. The effects of the boron doping gas ratio and the deposition time of the p-a-Si:H recombination layer on the tunnel recombination junctions have been investigated. The current-voltage characteristic of the tunnel recombination junction shows a nearly ohmic characteristic, and the resistance of the tunnel recombination junction can be as low as 1.5 Ω-cm^2 by using the optimized p-a-Si:H recombination layer. We obtain tandem solar cells with open circuit voltage Voc = 1.4 V, which is nearly the sum of the Vocs of the two corresponding single cells, indicating no Voc losses at the tunnel recombination junction.
基金Project supported by State Grid Corporation of China under the 2018 Science and Technology Project of State Grid Corporation:Research on electromagnetic measurement technology based on EIT and TMR(Grant No.JL71-18-007)。
文摘We investigate properties of perpendicular anisotropy magnetic tunnel junctions(pMTJs) with a stack structure MgO/CoFeB/Ta/CoFeB/MgO as the free layer(or recording layer),and obtain the necessary device parameters from the tunneling magnetoresistance(TMR) vs.field loops and current-driven magnetization switching experiments.Based on the experimental results and device parameters,we further estimate current-driven switching performance of pMTJ including switching time and power,and their dependence on perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and damping constant of the free layer by SPICE-based circuit simulations.Our results show that the pMTJ cells exhibit a less than 1 ns switching time and write energies <1.4 pJ;meanwhile the lower perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA) and damping constant can further reduce the switching time at the studied range of damping constant α <0.1.Additionally,our results demonstrate that the pMTJs with the thermal stability factor■73 can be easily transformed into spin-torque nano-oscillators from magnetic memory as microwave sources or detectors for telecommunication devices.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (grant No. 11ZR1411300)Pujiang Talent Program of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (grant No. 11PJ1402700) for the financial support
文摘Magnetic tunnel junctions(MTJs) based on MgO barrier have been fabricated by sputtering single crystal MgO target and metal Mg target, respectively, using magnetic sputtering system Nordiko 2000. MgO barriers have been formed by a multi-step deposition and natural oxidization of Mg layer. Mg layer thickness,oxygen flow rate and oxidization time were adjusted and the tunnel magnetoresistance(TMR) ratio of optimal MTJs is over 60% at annealing temperature 385. The(001) MgO crystal structure was obtained when the separation distance between MgO target and substrate is less than 6 cm. The TMR ratio of most MgO based MTJs are over 100% at the separation distance of 5 cm and annealing temperature 340. The TMR ratios of MTJs are almost zero when the separation distance ranges from 6 to 10 cm, due to the amorphous nature of the MgO film.
基金President’s Fund of CUHKSZ,Longgang Key Laboratory of Applied Spintronics,at The Chinese University of Hong Kong,the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11974298 and 61961136006)the Shenzhen Fundamental Research Fund,China(Grant No.JCYJ20170410171958839)Shenzhen Peacock Group Plan,China(Grant No.KQTD20180413181702403).
文摘We report a p24(HIV disease biomarker)detection assay using an MgO-based magnetic tunnel junction(MTJ)sensor and 20-nm magnetic nanoparticles.The MTJ array sensor with sensing area of 890×890μ2 possessing a sensitivity of 1.39%/Oe was used to detect p24 antigens.It is demonstrated that the p24 antigens could be detected at a concentration of 0.01μg/ml.The development of bio-detection systems based on magnetic tunnel junction sensors with high-sensitivity will greatly benefit the early diagnosis of HIV.