Magneto-Coulomb effect in spin-valve devices

We discuss the influence of the magneto-Coulomb effect (MCE) on the magnetoconductance of spin-valve devices. We show that the MCE can induce magnetoconductances of several percent or more, depending on the strength of the Coulomb blockade. Furthermore, the MCE-induced magnetoconductance changes sign as a function of gate voltage. We emphasize the importance of separating conductance changes induced by the MCE from those due to spin accumulation in spin-valve devices.