Lia Krusin-Elbaum

Observation of large low‐field magnetoresistance in trilayer perpendicular transport devices made using doped manganate perovskites

We report on the fabrication of a new class of trilayer epitaxial thin film devices based on the doped perovskite manganates La–Ca–Mn–O and La–Sr–Mn–O. We show that large resistance changes, up to a factor of 2, can be induced by a moderate applied magnetic field below 200 Oe in these trilayers supporting current‐perpendicular‐to‐plane transport. These results show that low‐field spin‐dependent transport in manganates can be accomplished, the magnitude of which is suitable for magnetoresistive field sensors.

Enhanced magnetoresistance in sintered granular manganite/insulator systems

We report significant enhancements of magnetoresistance in granular (La0.67Ca0.33MnO3)x/(SrTiO3)1−x. The system exhibits a conduction threshold at x=xc∼60%, around which magnetoresistance versus x has a maximum. The composition xc at which maximum enhancement in magnetoresistance is observed is the same at high (around 5 T) and at low (a few hundred Oersted) fields. The enhancement is consistent with the disorder-driven amplification of spin-dependent transport at the structural boundaries of the mixture.

Room-temperature ferromagnetic nanotubes controlled by electron or hole doping.

Nanotubes and nanowires with both elemental (carbon or silicon) and multi-element compositions (such as compound semiconductors or oxides), and exhibiting electronic properties ranging from metallic to semiconducting, are being extensively investigated for use in device structures designed to control electron charge. However, another important degree of freedom—electron spin, the control of which underlies the operation of ‘spintronic’ devices—has been much less explored. This is probably due to the relative paucity of nanometre-scale ferromagnetic building blocks (in which electron spins are naturally aligned) from which spin-polarized electrons can be injected. Here we describe nanotubes of vanadium oxide (VOx), formed by controllable self-assembly, that are ferromagnetic at room temperature. The as-formed nanotubes are transformed from spin-frustrated semiconductors to ferromagnets by doping with either electrons or holes, potentially offering a route to spin control in nanotube-based heterostructures.

Characterization of reactively sputtered ruthenium dioxide for very large scale integrated metallization

We have investigated reactively sputtered films of RuO2 for possible application in very large scale integrated circuits. Sputtering yields stoichiometric ruthenium dioxide in a large window of oxygen pressures and the films are reasonably low stressed in the 10−9 dyn cm−2 range. The resistivity of as deposited films is 40 μΩ cm. The films are excellent barriers against interdiffusion of Si and Al.

Enhancement of persistent currents in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 tapes with splayed columnar defects induced with 0.8 GeV protons

Composite tapes of the superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 on silver were irradiated with energetic light ions (0.8 GeV protons), creating extended splayed tracks ∼7 nm in diameter via fission of Bi nuclei. Magnetic hysteresis indicates large enhancements of persistent currents J, especially at high fields and temperatures, and substantial expansion of the irreversible regime. The technique may be suitable for large scale applications due to the long range (∼half meter) of fast protons.

TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT, NON-OHMIC MAGNETORESISTANCE IN DOPED PEROVSKITE MANGANATE TRILAYER JUNCTIONS

We report spin-dependent perpendicular transport in the magnetic trilayer junction structure La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/SrTiO3/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3. Large (factor of 5) changes of magnetoresistance induced by a field of ∼200 Oe are observed at 4.2 K. Junction I–V characteristics at low temperatures are consistent with a metal–insulator–metal tunneling process with a large spin-polarization factor of 0.81 for the conduction electrons. Above 100 K, a variable range-hopping conduction shunts out the magnetoresistance contribution. This second conduction channel comes from the impurity states within SrTiO3 barrier and therefore is not an intrinsic limit to the magnetoresistance performance of the device at high temperatures.

Unusually low resistivity of copper germanide thin films formed at low temperatures

We report a first observation of the remarkably low electrical resistivity of copper germanide thin films formed at temperatures below 200 °C. At these low temperatures, the e‐Cu3Ge phase with a monoclinic crystal structure is formed, with room‐temperature resistivity which can be as low as 5.5 μΩ cm. The films are electrically stable up to at least 600 °C, and, unlike pure copper, are also stable against oxygen and air exposure.

Evidence for segregation of Te in Ge2Sb2Te5 films: Effect on the “phase-change” stress

The authors present direct evidence for Te segregation to the grain boundaries in chalcogenide Ge2Sb2Te5 films by using transmission electron microscopy scans with a 0.5nm diameter focused probe. This finding is consistent with the observed impeded grain growth and with the post-transition relief of a “spikelike” stress, fully to the pretransition level. Te motion shows up in void formation below 200°C, a pileup of Te at the surface and its loss at higher (above 400°C) temperatures. Tuning the driving force for this segregation may be key for the optimal phase-change material design.

Closing the pseudogap by Zeeman splitting in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y at high magnetic fields.

Interlayer tunneling resistivity is used to probe the low-energy density-of-states (DOS) depletion due to the pseudogap in the normal state of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+y. Measurements up to 60 T reveal that a field that restores DOS to its ungapped state shows strikingly different temperature and doping dependencies from the characteristic fields of the superconducting state. The pseudogap closing field and the pseudogap temperature T small star, filled evaluated independently are related through a simple Zeeman energy scaling. These findings indicate a predominant role of spins over the orbital effects in the formation of the pseudogap.

Electrical transport in thin films of copper silicide

Electrical properties of thin films of η’‐Cu3Si phase with a tetragonal crystal structure are reported on. Electrical transport in these films is found to be very sensitive to oxygen exposure. Cu3Si reacts with oxygen at room temperature to form both Si and Cu oxides, resulting in high‐room‐temperature (∼60 μΩ cm) and even nonmetallic resistivity. This behavior is contrasted with that of low‐resistivity (∼5 μΩ cm at room temperature) Cu3Ge, which is inert in an oxygen environment.