Abstract
We theoretically study the electron transport properties in a ferromagnetic/normal/ferromagnetic tunnel junction, which is deposited on the top of a topological surface. The conductance at the parallel (P) configuration can be much bigger than that at the antiparallel (AP) configuration. Compared P with AP configuration, there exists a shift of phase which can be tuned by gate voltage. We find that the exchange field weakly affects the conductance of carriers for P configuration but can dramatically suppress the conductance of carriers for AP configuration. This controllable electron transport implies anomalous magnetoresistance in this topological spin valve, which may contribute to the development of spintronics. In addition, there shows an existence of Fabry-Perot-like electron interference in our model based on the topological insulator, which does not appear in the same model based on the two dimensional electron gas.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
C.L. Kane, E.J. Mele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 146802 (2005)
C.L. Kane, E.J. Mele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 226801 (2005)
L. Fu, C.L. Kane, E.J. Mele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 106803 (2007)
D. Hsieh, D. Qian, L. Wray, Y. Xia, Y. Hor, R.J. Cava, M.Z. Hasan, Nature 452, 970 (2008)
Y. Xia, D. Qian, D. Hsieh, L. Wray, A. Pal, H. Lin, A. Bansi, D. Grauer, Y.S. Hor, R.J. Cava, M.Z. Hasan, Nat. Phys. 5, 398 (2009)
H.J. Zhang, C.-X. Liu, X.-L. Qi, X. Dai, Z. Fang, S.-C. Zhang, Nat. Phys. 5, 438 (2009)
T. Eguchi, P. Gilkey, A. Hansen, Phys. Rep. 66, 213 (1980)
E.I. Rashba, Sov. Phys. Solid State 2, 1109 (1960)
Yu.A. Bychkov, E.I. Rashba, J. Phys. C 17, 6039 (1984)
D. Hsieh, Y. Xia, L. Wray, D. Qian, A. Pal, J.H. Dil, J. Osterwalder, F. Meier, G. Bihlmayer, C.L. Kane, Y.S. Hor, R.J. Cava, M.Z. Hasan, Science 323, 919 (2009)
A. Nishide, A. Taskin, Y. Takeichi, T. Okuda, A.A. Kakizaki, T. Hirahara, K. Nakatsuji, F. Komori, Y. Ando, I. Matsuda, Phys. Rev. B 81, 041309 (2010)
X.-L. Qi, S.-C. Zhang, Phys. today 63, 33 (2010)
J.E. Moore, Nature 464, 194 (2010)
M.Z. Hasan, C.L. Kane, Rev. Mod. Phys. 82, 3045 (2010)
B.A. Bernevig, S.C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 106802 (2006)
C. Wu, B.A. Bernevig, S.C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 106401 (2006)
C. Xu, J.E. Moore, Phys. Rev. B 73, 045322 (2006)
L. Fu, C.L. Kane, Phys. Rev. B 74, 195312 (2006)
L. Fu, C.L. Kane, Phys. Rev. B 76, 045302 (2007)
X.-L. Qi, T.L. Hughes, S.-C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. B 78, 195424 (2008)
B.A. Bernevig, T.L. Hughes, S.C. Zhang, Science 314, 1757 (2006)
M. König, S. Wiedmann, C. Brüne, A. Roth, H. Buhmann, L. Molenkamp, X.-L. Qi, S.-C. Zhang, Science 318, 766 (2007)
J.E. Moore, L. Balents, Phys. Rev. B 75, 121306(R) (2007)
L. Fu, C.L. Kane, E.J. Mele, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 106803 (2007)
J.C.Y. Teo, L. Fu, C.L. Kane, Phys. Rev. B 78, 045426 (2008)
K. Chang, W.K. Lou, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 206802 (2011)
Q. Liu, C.X. Liu, C. Xu, X.L. Qi, S.C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 156603 (2009)
A.A. Burkov, D.G. Hawthorn, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 066802 (2010)
X.L. Qi, R.D. Li, J.D. Zang, S.C. Zhang, Science 323, 1184 (2009)
X.L. Qi, T.L. Hughes, S.C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. B 78, 195424 (2008)
S.J. Lee, S. Souma, G. Ihm, K.J. Chang, Phys. Rep. 394, 1 (2004)
M. Cerchez, S. Hugger, T. Heinzel, N. Schulz, Phys. Rev. B 75, 035341 (2007)
G. Papp, F.M. Peeters, Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 2184 (2001)
A. Matulis, F.M. Peeters, P. Vasilopoulos, Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 1518 (1994)
S. Cho, Y.-F. Chen, M.S. Fuhre, Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 123105 (2007)
I. Snyman, C.W.J. Beenakker, Phys. Rev. B 75, 045322 (2007)
Y. Zhang, F. Zhai, Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 172109 (2010)
A.R. Akhmerov, J. Nilsson, C.W.J. Beenakker, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 216404 (2009)
P. Adroguer, C. Grenier, D. Carpentier, J. Cayssol, P. Degiovanni, E. Orignac, Phys. Rev. B 82, 081303(R) (2010)
T. Yokoyama, Y. Tanaka, N. Nagaosa, Phys. Rev. B 81, 121401(R) (2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yuan, J., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J. et al. Electron transport in a ferromagnetic/normal/ferromagnetic tunnel junction based on the surface of a topological insulator. Eur. Phys. J. B 86, 36 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2012-30508-1
Received:
Revised:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2012-30508-1