Current-controlled magnetoresistance in silicon in non-Ohmic transport regimes

We show that the large positive magnetoresistance in nonmagnetic silicon devices can be controlled by a current applied in the non-Ohmic transport regime. The experimental results indicate that the carrier transport in this regime is dominated by the space-charge effect, where the magnetoresistance effect is greatly enhanced. We propose a device concept based on the space-charge-induced magnetoresistance effect in silicon that is controlled by both the current and the magnetic field, which looks similar to the characteristics of the field-effect transistors. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3238361]