Interface-driven giant tunnel magnetoresistance in (111)-oriented junctions

Abstract

We theoretically study the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect in (111)-oriented junctions Co/MgO/Co(111) and Ni/MgO/Ni(111). The Co-based junction is shown to have a TMR ratio over 2000%, which is one order higher than that of the Ni-based one. The high TMR ratio is attributed to the interfacial resonance effect: The interfacial d-p antibonding states are formed close to the Fermi level in the majority-spin channel and these states in both interfaces resonate with each other. This differs essentially from the conventional coherent tunneling mechanism of high TMR ratios in Fe(Co)/MgO/Fe(Co)(001).