Spin valve effect in sputtered FL-MoS2 and ferromagnetic shape memory alloy based magnetic tunnel junction

In the last decade, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides have been introduced with great significance in the spintronic devices for their extraordinary electrical, optical, and spin-dependent properties. In this work, we have fabricated a few-layer molybdenum disulfide (FL-MoS₂) (~6 nm) as a non-magnetic spacer layer in Ni–Mn–In/FL-MoS₂/Ni–Mn–In magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) using DC magnetron sputtering. FL-MoS₂ thin film sandwiched between two ferromagnetic shape memory alloy based electrodes exhibit semiconducting behavior, confirmed by current-voltage (I–V) characteristics and temperature dependent resistance measurement. The fabricated MTJ shows spin valve effect in the presence of an external magnetic field. The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) has been recorded in 10 K–300 K temperature range. The highest TMR ratio of 0.51% was obtained at a low temperature ~10 K, corresponding to the spin polarization of ~5%. This TMR ratio reduces to a value of 0.032% as the temperature of the device increases up to 300 K, displaying a finite TMR at room temperature. A detailed study of thickness and temperature-dependent magnetization versus magnetic field (M ? H) hysteresis loops of Ni–Mn–In thin films has been performed to understand the complex TMR behavior. The present study paves the way for the use of sputtered FL-MoS₂ and ferromagnetic shape memory alloy in ultrafast spintronics for advanced magnetic devices application.