Anisotropic magnetoresistance in single electron transport

We study the effect of magnetic anisotropy in a single electron transistor with ferromagnetic electrodes and a non-magnetic island. We identify the variation delta mu of the chemical potential of the electrodes as a function of the magnetization orientation as a key quantity that permits to tune the electrical properties of the device. Different effects occur depending on the relative size of delta mu and the charging energy. We provide preliminary quantitative estimates of delta mu using a very simple toy model for the electrodes. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Wemheim.