Magnetoresistance effect and interlayer coupling of (Ga, Mn)As trilayer structures

Abstract

We have investigated the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of (Ga, Mn)As/(Al, Ga)As/(Ga, Mn)As semiconductor-based magnetic trilayer structures. We observe a weak ferromagnetic interlayer coupling between the two ferromagnetic (Ga, Mn)As layers as well as magnetoresistance effects due to spin-dependent scattering and to spin-dependent tunneling. Both the coupling strength and the magnetoresistance ratio decrease with the increase of temperature and/or the increase of Al composition of the nonmagnetic (Al, Ga)As layer.