Abstract
We report device concepts that exploit spin-orbit coupling for creating spin polarized current sources using nonmagnetic semiconductor resonant tunneling heterostructures, without external magnetic fields. The resonant interband tunneling spin filter exploits large valence band spinorbit interaction to provide strong spin selectivity. The bi-directional spin pump induces the simultaneous flow of oppositely spin-polarized current components in opposite directions through spin-dependent resonant tunneling. The efficiency of resonant tunneling spin devices can be improved when the effects of structural inversion asymmetry (SIA) and bulk inversion asymmetry (BIA) are combined properly, and incorporated into device design. The current spin polarizations of the proposed devices are electrically controllable, and potentially amenable to high-speed modulation. In principle, the electrically modulated spin-polarized current source could be integrated in optoelectronic devices for added functionality.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
S. A. Wolf, D. D. Awschalom, R. A. Buhrman, J. M. Daughton, S. von Molnar, M. L. Roukes, A. Y. Chtchelkanova, and D. M. Treger, Science 294 1488 (2001).
A. Voskoboynikov, S. S. Lin, C. P. Lee, and O. Tretyak, J. Appl. Phys. 87, 387 (2000).
T. Koga, J. Nitta J, H. Takayanagi, and S. Datta, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 12661 (2002).
D. Z-Y. Ting and X. Cartoixà, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 4198 (2002).
D. Z-Y. Ting, X. Cartoixà, D. H. Chow, J. S. Moon, D. L. Smith, T. C. McGill and J. N. Schulman, IEEE Proceedings 91 741 (2003).
D. Z-Y. Ting and X. Cartoixà, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 1391 (2003).
K. C. Hall, W. H. Lau, K. Gundogdu, M. E. Flatte and T. F. Boggess, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 2937 (2003).
Y. A. Bychkov and E. I. Rashba, J. Phys. C - Solid State Phys. 17, 6039 (1984).
E. A. de Andrada e Silva and G. C. La Rocca, Phys. Rev. B 59, 15583 (1999).
D. Z.-Y. Ting and X. Cartoixà, Phys. Rev. B 68, 235320 (2003).
J. E. Hirsch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 1834 (1999).
D. Z.-Y. Ting, E. T. Yu, and T. C. McGill, Phys. Rev. B 45, 3583 (1992).
Y.-C. Chang, Phys. Rev. B 37, 8215 (1988).
R. C. Bowen, G. Klimeck, R. K. Lake, W. R. Frensley, and T. Moise, J. Appl. Phys. 81, 3207 (1997); W. R. Frensley, private communications.
R. Winkler, Phys. Rev. B 69, 045317 (2004).
X. Cartoixà, D. Z.-Y. Ting, and T. C. McGill, Phys. Rev. B 68, 235319 (2003).
J. S. Moon et al. (unpublished).
M. Oestreich, M. Bender, J. Hubner, D. Hagele, W. W. Ruhle, T. Hartmann, P. J. Klar, W. Heimbrodt, M. Lampalzer, K. Volz, W. Stolz, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 17, 285 (2002).
Acknowledgments
The authors thank O. Voskoboynikov, A. T. Hunter, D. L. Smith, D. H. Chow, J. S. Moon, T. C. McGill, T. F. Boggess, J. N. Schulman, P. Vogl, T. Koga and Y.-C. Chang for discussions. This work was sponsored by the DARPA SpinS Program through HRL Laboratories. A part of this work was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, through an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ting, D.ZY., Cartoixà, X. Theory of Electrically Controlled Resonant Tunneling Spin Devices. MRS Online Proceedings Library 825, 49 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-825-G4.9
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-825-G4.9