Kondo Effect in Magnetic Tunnel Junctions with an AlOx Tunnel Barrier

Phys Lett A. 2016 Jun;380(27-28):2237-2241. doi: 10.1016/j.physleta.2016.05.001. Epub 2016 May 4.

Abstract

The influence of the magnetization configuration on Kondo effect in magnetic tunnel junction is investigated. In the parallel configuration, an additional resistance contribution (R*) below 40 K exhibits a logarithmic temperature dependence, indicating the presence of Kondo effect. However, in the anti-parallel configuration, the Kondo-effect-associated spin-flip scattering has a nontrivial contribution to the tunneling current, which compensates the reduction of the current directly caused by Kondo scattering, making R* disappear. These results indicate that suppression and restoration of Kondo effect can be experimentally achieved by altering the magnetization configuration, enhancing our understanding of the role of Kondo effect in spin-dependent transport.

Keywords: Kondo effect; magnetic tunnel junction; magnetization configuration; spin-flip scattering.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't