Tunnel magnetoresistance in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions using full-Heusler alloy Co2MnGe thin film and MgO tunnel barrier

We fabricated fully epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) using a Co-based full-Heusler alloy Co2MnGe (CMG) thin film as a lower electrode, an MgO tunnel barrier, and a Co50Fe50 upper electrode and investigated their tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) characteristics. The microfabricated MTJs showed strongly temperature-dependent TMR characteristics with typical TMR ratios of 70% at 7 K and 14% at room temperature (RT). Furthermore, the TMR characteristics exhibited the following notable features in the bias voltage (V) dependence: (1) a cusplike V dependence within a range of similar to +/- 200 mV around V=0 at 7 K, which was smeared out at RT, and (2) a V dependence with pronounced asymmetry regarding the polarity, showing negative TMR ratios in a certain negative bias voltage range around -400 mV at both 7 K and RT (V was defined with respect to the lower CMG electrode). A possible transport mechanism leading to the notably asymmetric V dependence along with the negative TMR for a certain bias voltage region is direct tunneling that reflects the spin-dependent density of states of the CMG electrode