A self-consistent SDD-NEGF approach for modelling magnetic tunnel junctions

Abstract

Most contemporary work on magnetic tunnel junctions either consider ballistic quantum transport across the tunneling barrer, for instance via the Non Equilibrium Green's Function (NEGF) formalism, or treat the tunneling region as a lump resistance connected to bulk metallic leads in the Spin Drift-Diffusion (SDD) approach. The effects of interfacial barriers and central device physics on the spin accumlation in the leads have largely been ignored in most NEGF calculations. In this work we introduce a self consistent approach that combines the NEGF and SDD methods. We calculate the effects of the barrier potential height and spin orbit interaction on the spin injection from a ferromagnet to a semiconductor through the barrier. © 2006 IEEE.