Letter abstract
Nature Materials 8, 198 - 202 (2009)
Published online: 15 February 2009 | doi:10.1038/nmat2385
Subject Categories: Semiconductors | Electronic materials | Magnetic materials
Room-temperature defect-engineered spin filter based on a non-magnetic semiconductor
X. J. Wang1, I. A. Buyanova1, F. Zhao2, D. Lagarde2, A. Balocchi2, X. Marie2, C. W. Tu3, J. C. Harmand4 & W. M. Chen1
Generating, manipulating and detecting electron spin polarization and coherence at room temperature is at the heart of future spintronics and spin-based quantum information technology1, 2, 3, 4. Spin filtering, which is a key issue for spintronic applications, has been demonstrated by using ferromagnetic metals5, 6, 7, 8, diluted magnetic semiconductors9, 10, quantum point contacts11, quantum dots12, carbon nanotubes13, multiferroics14 and so on. This filtering effect was so far restricted to a limited efficiency and primarily at low temperatures or under a magnetic field. Here, we provide direct and unambiguous experimental proof that an electron-spin-polarized defect, such as a Gai self-interstitial in dilute nitride GaNAs, can effectively deplete conduction electrons with an opposite spin orientation and can thus turn the non-magnetic semiconductor into an efficient spin filter operating at room temperature and zero magnetic field. This work shows the potential of such defect-engineered, switchable spin filters as an attractive alternative to generate, amplify and detect electron spin polarization at room temperature without a magnetic material or external magnetic fields.
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Université de Toulouse, LPCNO: INSA, UPS, CNRS, 135 avenue de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse cedex, France
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- LPN, route de Noazay, 91460 Marcoussis, France
Correspondence to: I. A. Buyanova1 e-mail: irb@ifm.liu.se
Correspondence to: W. M. Chen1 e-mail: wmc@ifm.liu.se
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