%0 Journal Article
%T Topological Insulator GMR Straintronics for Low-Power Strain Sensors
%J -
%D 2018
%R https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b09664
%X A quantum spin Hall insulator, i.e., topological insulator (TI), is a natural candidate for low-power electronics and spintronics because of its intrinsic dissipationless feature. Recent density functional theory and scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments show that the mechanical strain allows dynamic, continuous, and reversible modulations of the topological surface states within the topological phase and hence opens prospects for TI straintronics. Here, we combine the mechanical strain and the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) of a ferromagnet每TI (FM每TI) junction to construct a novel TI GMR straintronics device. Such a FM每strained-FM每TI junction permits several energy spectral ranges for 100% GMR and a robust strain-controllable magnetic switch. Beyond the 100% GMR energy range, we observe a strain-modulated oscillating GMR, which is an alternative hallmark of the Fabry-P谷rot quantum interference of Dirac surface states. These strain-sensitive GMR responses indicate that FM每strained-FM每TI junctions are very favorable for practical applications for low-power nanoscale strain sensors
%U https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.8b09664