Bottom–Up-Fabricated Oxide–Metal–Semiconductor Spin-Valve Transistor

Author

Zhao, Lai ; Huang, Biqin ; Olowolafe, Olufemi ; Appelbaum, Ian

Author_Institution

Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE

Volume

29

Issue

8

fYear

2008

Firstpage

892

Lastpage

894

Abstract

Spin-valve transistors (SVTs) employing hot-electron transport through ferromagnetic multilayers have large magnetocurrent (MC), making them a promising magnetic field sensor. However, the assembly technique required for fabricating the necessary semiconductor-metal-semiconductor structure limits their use. We have circumvented this problem with an alternative fabrication technique and show a greater than 300% MC change in SVT devices employing a sputter-deposited zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor emitter as hot-electron injector. The compatibility of this process to standard fabrication techniques makes it possible to integrate the SVT into present-day industrial technology.

Keywords

bipolar transistors; ferromagnetic materials; magnetic multilayers; magnetic sensors; semiconductor-metal boundaries; spin valves; sputtered coatings; zinc compounds; ZnO; assembly technique; ferromagnetic multilayers; hot-electron injector; hot-electron transport; magnetic field sensor; magnetocurrent; oxide-metal-semiconductor spin-valve transistor; semiconductor emitter; semiconductor-metal-semiconductor structure; sputter-deposited zinc oxide; Electrons; Fabrication; Magnetic multilayers; Magnetic sensors; Magnetic separation; Magnetization; Schottky barriers; Sputtering; Thin film transistors; Zinc oxide; RF sputtering; spin-valve transistor (SVT); zinc oxide (ZnO);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2008.2001177

Filename

4571142