First-principles investigation of the effect of oxidation on the electronic structure and magnetic properties at the FeRh/MgO (0 0 1) interface

Abstract The effect of interfacial oxidation on electronic structure and magnetic properties at the FeRh/MgO (0 0 1) interface is studied by ab initio methods. The results show the formation of an interfacial FeO-like layer between the FeRh and the MgO barrier, which has a direct impact on Fe eg states at the interface. It is shown that these eg states are more affected than that the t2g states at the Fermi level due to the strong hybridization of these states with the p-states of oxygen. Thus, the oxidation modifies crucially the electronic structure and the magnetic properties as compared to those of an ideal interface. In particular, it was found that spin polarization of the ferromagnetic state is substantially enhanced. A simple two-current Julliere model shows that the TMR increases with oxidation.