300% magnetocurrent in a room temperature operating spin-valve transistor

Here we present the realization of a room temperature operating spin-valve transistor with huge magnetocurrent (MC = 300%) at low fields. This spin-va lve transistor employs hot-electron transport across a Ni81Fe19/Au/Co spin valve. Hot electrons are injected into the spin valve across a Si-Pt Schott ky barrier. After traversing the spin valve, these hot electrons are collec ted using a second Schottky barrier (Si-Au), which provides energy and mome ntum selection. The collector current is found to be extremely sensitive to the spin-dependent scattering of hot electrons in the spin valve, and ther efore on the applied magnetic held. We also illustrate the role of the coll ector diode characteristics in determining the magnetocurrent under collect or bias. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.