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Nano Research 2015, 8(4): 1357-1364 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0627-4
Research Article | Issue | Published: 30 November 2014

Tunnel magnetoresistance with atomically thin two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride barriers

Show Author's Information André Dankert1( ),  M. Venkata Kamalakar1,  Abdul Wajid1,  R. S. Patel2( ),  Saroj P. Dash1( )
Department of Microtechnology and NanoscienceChalmers University of TechnologySE-41296Göteborg, Sweden
Department of PhysicsBirla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani—K K Birla Goa CampusZuarinagar403726Goa, India
Keywords:
hexagonal boron nitride, 2D layered materials, CVD, spintronics, magnetic tunnel junction, tunnel magnetoresistance, tunnel barrier
Cite this article:
Dankert A, Kamalakar MV, Wajid A, et al. Tunnel magnetoresistance with atomically thin two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride barriers. Nano Research, 2015, 8(4): 1357-1364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0627-4
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Abstract Full text About this article

The two-dimensional atomically thin insulator hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) constitutes a new paradigm in tunnel based devices. A large band gap, along with its atomically flat nature without dangling bonds or interface trap states, makes it an ideal candidate for tunnel spin transport in spintronic devices. Here, we demonstrate the tunneling of spin-polarized electrons through large area monolayer h-BN prepared by chemical vapor deposition in magnetic tunnel junctions. In ferromagnet/h-BN/ferromagnet heterostructures fabricated on a chip scale, we show tunnel magnetoresistance at room temperature. Measurements at different bias voltages and on multiple devices with different ferromagnetic electrodes establish the spin polarized tunneling using h-BN barriers. These results open the way for integration of 2D monolayer insulating barriers in active spintronic devices and circuits operating at ambient temperature, and for further exploration of their properties and prospects.


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About this article

Tunnel magnetoresistance with atomically thin two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride barriers

Show Author's information André Dankert1( ), M. Venkata Kamalakar1, Abdul Wajid1, R. S. Patel2( ), Saroj P. Dash1( )
Department of Microtechnology and NanoscienceChalmers University of TechnologySE-41296Göteborg, Sweden
Department of PhysicsBirla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani—K K Birla Goa CampusZuarinagar403726Goa, India

Abstract

The two-dimensional atomically thin insulator hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) constitutes a new paradigm in tunnel based devices. A large band gap, along with its atomically flat nature without dangling bonds or interface trap states, makes it an ideal candidate for tunnel spin transport in spintronic devices. Here, we demonstrate the tunneling of spin-polarized electrons through large area monolayer h-BN prepared by chemical vapor deposition in magnetic tunnel junctions. In ferromagnet/h-BN/ferromagnet heterostructures fabricated on a chip scale, we show tunnel magnetoresistance at room temperature. Measurements at different bias voltages and on multiple devices with different ferromagnetic electrodes establish the spin polarized tunneling using h-BN barriers. These results open the way for integration of 2D monolayer insulating barriers in active spintronic devices and circuits operating at ambient temperature, and for further exploration of their properties and prospects.

Keywords: hexagonal boron nitride, 2D layered materials, CVD, spintronics, magnetic tunnel junction, tunnel magnetoresistance, tunnel barrier

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Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 23 July 2014
Revised: 15 September 2014
Accepted: 10 October 2014
Published: 30 November 2014
Issue date: April 2015

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer‐Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support from colleagues of the Quantum Device Physics Laboratory and the Nanofabrication Laboratory at Chalmers University of Technology. The authors would like to thank Jie Sun and Niclas Lindvall for sharing the recipe for the 2D layer transfer process. This project is financially supported by the Nano Area of the Advance program at Chalmers University of Technology, an EU FP7 Marie Curie Career Integration grant and the Swedish Research Council (VR) Young Researchers grant. RSP acknowledges the financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India through the Nano Mission Project (No. SR/NM/NS-1002/2010).

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