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Phys. Rev. B 76, 045213 (2007) [11 pages]

Quantum transport with spin dephasing: A nonequlibrium Green’s function approach

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Ahmet Ali Yanik*
Department of Physics, Network for Computational Nanotechnology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA

Gerhard Klimeck
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Network for Computational Nanotechnology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA and Jet Propulsion Lab, Caltech, Pasadena, California 91109, USA

Supriyo Datta
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Network for Computational Nanotechnology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA

Received 2 June 2006; revised 25 February 2007; published 17 July 2007

A quantum transport model incorporating spin scattering processes is presented using the nonequilibrium Green’s function formalism within the self-consistent Born approximation. This model offers a unified approach by capturing the spin-flip scattering and the quantum effects simultaneously. A numerical implementation of the model is illustrated for magnetic tunnel junction devices with embedded magnetic impurity layers. This model seems to explain three experimentally observed features regarding the dependence of the junction magnetoresistances (JMRs) on the barrier thickness, barrier height, and number of magnetic impurities. It is shown that small variations in magnetic impurity spin states and concentrations could cause large deviations in JMRs.

© 2007 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.76.045213
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevB.76.045213
PACS:
72.10.−d, 71.70.Gm, 72.25.Rb, 73.43.Qt

*yanik@purdue.edu

 
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