Negative tunnelling magnetoresistance in spin filtering magnetic junctions with spin-orbit coupling

Abstract

We present theoretical calculations of spin transport in spin filtering magnetic tunnelling junctions based on the Landauer-Buttiker formalism and taking into account the spin-orbit coupling (SOC). It is shown that spin-flip scattering induced by SOC is stronger in parallel alignment of magnetization of the ferromagnet barrier (FB) and the ferromagnetic electrode than that in antiparallel case. The increase of negative tunnelling magnetoresistance with bias is in agreement with recent experimental observation.