Angular dependence of the magnetoresistance effect in a silicon based p-n junction device

We report a pronounced angular dependence of the magnetoresistance (MR) effect in a silicon based p-n junction device at room temperature by manipulating the space charge region of the p-n junction under a magnetic field. For the p-n junction device with various space charge region configurations, we find that all the angular dependence of the MR effect is proportional to sin2(theta), where the theta is the angle between the magnetic field and the driving current. With increasing the magnetic field and driving current, the anisotropic MR effect is obviously improved. At room temperature, under a magnetic field 2 T and driving current 20 mA, the MR ratio is about 50%, almost one order of amplitude larger than that in the magnetic material permalloy. Our results reveal an interpretation of the MR effect in the non-magnetic p-n junction in terms of the Lorentz force and give a new way for the development of future magnetic sensors with non-magnetic p-n junctions.