Spin-dependent transport properties of Fe(3)O(4)/MoS(2)/Fe(3)O(4) junctions

Magnetite is a half-metal with a high Curie temperature of 858 K, making it a promising candidate for magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). Yet, initial efforts to exploit its half metallic nature in Fe(3)O(4)/MgO/Fe(3)O(4) MTJ structures have been far from promising. Finding suitable barrier layer materials, which keep the half metallic nature of Fe(3)O(4) at the interface between Fe(3)O(4) layers and barrier layer, is one of main challenges in this field. Two-dimensional (2D) materials may be good candidates for this purpose. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS(2)) is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) semiconductor with distinctive electronic, optical, and catalytic properties. Here, we show based on the first principle calculations that Fe(3)O(4) keeps a nearly fully spin polarized electron band at the interface between MoS(2) and Fe(3)O(4). We also present the first attempt to fabricate the Fe(3)O(4)/MoS(2)/Fe(3)O(4) MTJs. A clear tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) signal was observed below 200 K. Thus, our experimental and theoretical studies indicate that MoS(2) can be a good barrier material for Fe(3)O(4) based MTJs. Our calculations also indicate that junctions incorporating monolayer or bilayer MoS(2) are metallic.