We have investigated spin accumulation in Ni/Au/Ni single-electron transistors assembled by atomic force microscopy. The fabrication technique is unique in that unconventional hybrid devices can be realized with unprecedented control, including real-time tunable tunnel resistances. A grid of Au discs, 30 nm in diameter and 30 nm thick, is prepared on a SiO 2 surface by conventional e-beam writing. Subsequently, 30 nm thick ferromagnetic Ni source, drain and sidegate electrodes are formed in similar process steps. The width and length of the source and drain electrodes were different to exhibit different coercive switching fields. Tunnel barriers of NiO are realized by sequential Ar and O 2 plasma treatment. Using an atomic force microscope with specially designed software, a single non-magnetic Au nanodisc is positioned into the 25 nm gap between the source and drain electrodes. The resistance of the device is monitored in real-time while the Au disc is manipulated step-by-step with Ångstrom-level precision. Transport measurements in magnetic field at 1.7 K reveal no clear spin accumulation in the device, which can be attributed to fast spin relaxation in the Au disc. From numerical simulations using the rateequation approach of orthodox Coulomb blockade theory, we can put an upper bound of a few ns on the spin-relaxation time for electrons in the Au disc. To confirm the magnetic switching characteristics and spin injection efficiency of the Ni electrodes, we fabricated a test structure consisting of a Ni/NiO/Ni magnetic tunnel junction with asymmetric dimensions of the electrodes similar to those of the SETs. Magnetoresistance measurements on the test device exhibited clear signs of magnetic reversal and a maximum TMR of 10%, from which we deduced a spinpolarization of about 22% in the Ni electrodes.

We report on magnetotransport investigations of nano-scaled ferromagnetic Co/Ni/Co single electron transistors. As a result of reduced size, the devices exhibit single electron transistor characteristics at 4.2K. Magnetotransport measurements carried out at 1.8K reveal tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) traces with negative coercive fields, which we interpret in terms of a switching mechanism driven by the shape anisotropy of the central wire-like Ni island. A large TMR of about 18% is observed within a finite source-drain bias regime. The TMR decreases rapidly with increasing bias, which we tentatively attribute to excitation of magnons in the central island.

We demonstrate the assembly of nanoscale ferromagnetic single-electron transistors using atomic force microscopy for imaging as well as for nanoscale manipulation. A single 30 nm Au disc, forming the central island of the transistor, is manipulated with angstrom precision into the gap between a plasma-oxidized Ni source and drain electrodes. The tunnel resistances can be tuned in real time during the device fabrication by repositioning the Au disc. Transport measurements reveal long-term stable single-electron transistor characteristics at 4.2 K. The well-controlled devices with very small central islands facilitate future in-depth studies of the interplay between Coulomb blockade, spin-dependent tunnelling and spin accumulation in ferromagnetic single-electron transistors at elevated temperatures.