Correlation between tunneling magnetoresistance and magnetization in dipolar-coupled nanoparticle arrays

The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) of a hexagonal array of dipolar-coupled anisotropic magnetic nanoparticles is studied using a resistor network model and a realistic micromagnetic configuration obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. Analysis of the field-dependent TMR and the corresponding magnetization curve shows that dipolar interactions suppress the maximum TMR effect, increase or decrease the field sensitivity depending on the direction of applied field, and introduce strong dependence of the TMR on the direction of the applied magnetic field. For off-plane magnetic fields, maximum values in the TMR signal are associated with the critical field for irreversible rotation of the magnetization. This behavior is more pronounced in strongly interacting systems (magnetically soft), while for weakly interacting systems (magnetically hard) the maximum of TMR occurs (H-max) below the coercive field (H-c), in contrast to the situation for noninteracting nanoparticles (H-c=H-max) or in-plane fields. The relation of our simulations to recent TMR measurements in self-assembled Co nanoparticle arrays is discussed.