Modeling of spin-dependent hot-electron transport in the spin-valve transistor

R. Vlutters, O.M.J. van 't Erve, R. Jansen, S.D. Kim, J.C. Lodder, A. Vedyayev, B. Dieny

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    Abstract

    A phenomenological model is presented that describes spin-dependent hot-electron transport in the spin-valve transistor. The three-dimensional model is based on the Boltzmann equation and takes into account spin-dependent inelastic and elastic scattering within each metal layer of the base and elastic scattering at the interfaces, as well as the injection and collection characteristics of the emitter and collector Schottky barriers. We numerically calculate the attenuation of the hot electrons, as well as their angular distribution of momen-tum, as a function of the position in the metallic base. We investigate how elastic scattering affects the attenuation lengths via the angular distribution of momentum and show that elastic scattering at an interface leads to an increase of the effective bulk attenuation length of the layers after that interface. We also find that the magnetocurrent is changed by interface scattering even if it is taken to be independent of spin. We find that when elastic scattering is significant, the true attenuation lengths are markedly larger than those predicted in a one-directional model from the scattering parameters for elastic and inelastic scattering. The calculations demonstrate that elastic scattering may be the primary reason for the small collector currents observed in the spin-valve transistor experimentally.
    Original languageUndefined
    Pages (from-to)024416-1
    Number of pages11
    JournalPhysical Review B (Condensed Matter and Materials Physics)
    Volume65
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2002

    Keywords

    • IR-44243
    • EWI-5661
    • METIS-208694
    • SMI-SPINTRONICS
    • SMI-NE: From 2006 in EWI-NE

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