Article abstract
Nature Materials 3, 799 - 803 (2004)
Published online: 17 October 2004 | doi:10.1038/nmat1239
Subject Categories: Semiconductors | Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials | Magnetic materials
Electrical spin injection from an n-type ferromagnetic semiconductor into a III–V device heterostructure
George Kioseoglou1, Aubrey T. Hanbicki1, James M. Sullivan1, Olaf M. J. van 't Erve1, Connie H. Li1, Steven C. Erwin1, Robert Mallory2, Mesut Yasar2, Athos Petrou2 & Berend T. Jonker1
Abstract
The use of carrier spin in semiconductors is a promising route towards new device functionality and performance. Ferromagnetic semiconductors (FMSs) are promising materials in this effort. An n-type FMS that can be epitaxially grown on a common device substrate is especially attractive. Here, we report electrical injection of spin-polarized electrons from an n-type FMS, CdCr2Se4, into an AlGaAs/GaAs-based light-emitting diode structure. An analysis of the electroluminescence polarization based on quantum selection rules provides a direct measure of the sign and magnitude of the injected electron spin polarization. The sign reflects minority rather than majority spin injection, consistent with our density-functional-theory calculations of the CdCr2Se4 conduction-band edge. This approach confirms the exchange-split band structure and spin-polarized carrier population of an FMS, and demonstrates a litmus test for these FMS hallmarks that discriminates against spurious contributions from magnetic precipitates.
- Materials Science and Technology Division, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20375, USA
- Department of Physics, 239 Fronczak Hall, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA
Correspondence to: Berend T. Jonker1 e-mail: Jonker@nrl.navy.mil
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