Interplay of spin accumulation and Coulomb blockade in double ferromagnetic junctions

Single-electron tunneling in a double junction in which a nonmagnetic metal lic island is separated from two ferromagnetic electrodes by tunnel barrier s, is analysed theoretically in the sequential tunneling regime and for an arbitrary intrinsic spin relaxation time on the island. It is shown that no nequilibrium spin polarization of the island results in tunnel magnetoresis tance due to rotation of the electrode magnetizations from antiparallel to parallel alignment. It is also shown that discrete charging of the island g ives rise to a fine structure in the voltage dependence of the island spin polarization and tunnel magnetoresistance. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.