Spin-flip scattering in magnetic junctions

Abstract

Processes which flip the spin of an electron tunneling in a junction made up of magnetic electrodes are studied. It is found that (i) magnetic impurities give a contribution which increases the resistance and lowers the magnetoresistance, which saturates at low temperatures. The conductance increases at high fields. (ii) Magnon assisted tunneling reduces the magnetoresistance as ${T}^{3/2}$ and leads to a nonohmic contribution to the resistance which goes as ${V}^{3/2}.$ (iii) Surface antiferromagnetic magnons, which may appear if the interface has different magnetic properties from the bulk, gives rise to ${T}^{2}$ and ${V}^{2}$ contributions to the magnetoresistance and resistance, respectively. (iv) Coulomb blockade effects may enhance the magnetoresistance, when transport is dominated by cotunneling processes.