Current-controlled channel switching and magnetoresistance in an Fe3C island film supported on a Si substrate

J. Tang, J. Dai, K. Wang, W. Zhou, N. Ruzycki, U. Diebold

Department of Physics, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148, U.S.A.
Advanced Materials Research Institute, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, U.S.A.
Department of Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, U.S.A.

J. Appl. Phys. 91 (2002) 8411-8413

A film of magnetic Fe3C islands separated by nanochannels of graphite was prepared with pulsed laser deposition on a Si substrate with a native SiO2 surface. When the temperature is increased above 250 K the resistance suddenly drops because electron conduction switches from the film to the Si inversion layer underneath. The film shows a negative magnetoresistance. The inversion layer exhibits a large positive magnetoresistance. The transition to the low resistance channel can be reversed by applying a large measuring current, making possible current-controlled switching between two types of electron magnetotransport at room temperature.

Corresponding author: Ulrike Diebold (diebold at iap_tuwien_ac_at).

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